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BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH; 


-OR, 


The  Boy-Firm  of  Fox  Island. 


By  WILLIAM  PENDLETON  CHIPMAN, 


Author  of 


Roy  Gilbert's  Search,"    "  The  Mill-Boy  of  the  Genesee,"    "  The  Black 
Forge  Mills,"  etc.,  etc. 


ILLUSTRATED. 


*1- 


\ 


NEW    YORK: 
A.  L.  BURT,  PUBLISHER. 


■IH.  Of  OiUy.  LWRART.  LOt  A1MWS8 


Copyright  1890,  by  A.  L.  Buht. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 


CHAPTER  I. 

BUDD   SEEKS   EMPLOYMENT. 

IT  WAS  a  raw,  cold,  day  in  the  month  of  March. 
Since  early  morning  the  clouds  had  been  gather- 
ing, and  they  now  hung  dark  and  heavy  over  both 
land  and  sea.  The  wind,  too,  which  had  for  hours 
been  steadily  increasing  in  violence,  now  blew  little 
short  of  a  gale.  It  evidently  was  going  to  be  a  ter- 
rible night,  and  that  night  was  near  at  hand. 

No  one  realized  this  more  than  the  young  lad, 
who,  with  a  small  bundle  in  one  hand  and  a  stout 
staff  in  the  other,  was  walking  rapidly  along  the 
highway  that  runs  near  the  west  shore  of  Narragan- 
sett  Bay.  He  was  a  lad  that  would  have  attracted 
attention  anywhere.  Tall  for  his  age,  which  could 
not  have  been  far  from  sixteen  years,  he  was  also  of 
good  proportions,  and  walked  with  an  ease  and 
stride  which  suggested  reserved  strength  and  mus- 
cular development. 

But  it  was  the  lad's  face  that  was  the  most  notice- 
able. Frank,  open,  of  singular  beauty  in  feature  and 
outline,  there  were  also  upon  it  unmistakable  evi- 
dences of  intelligence,  resoluteness,  and  honesty  of 

2129753 


6  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

purpose.  A  close  observer  might  also  have  detected 
traces  of  suffering  or  of  sorrow  on  it — possibly  of 
some  great  burden  hard  to  bear. 

The  lad  was  none  too  warmly  clad  for  the  chilly 
air  and  piercing  wind,  and  now  and  then  drew  his 
light  overcoat  about  him  as  though  even  his  rapid 
walking  did  not  make  him  entirely  comfortable. 
He  also  looked  eagerly  ahead,  like  one  who  was 
watching  for  some  signs  of  his  destination.  He 
drew  a  sigh  of  relief  as  he  reached  the  foot  of  a 
steep  hill,  and  said  aloud : 

"  I  must  be  near  the  place,  now.  They  said  it 
was  at  the  top  of  the  first  long  hill  I  came  to,  and 
this  must  be  the  hill." 

As  he  spoke  he  quickened  his  pace  to  a  run,  and 
soon  reached  the  summit,  quite  out  of  breath,  but 
with  a  genial  warmth  in  his  body  that  he  had  not 
experienced  for  some  hours. 

Pausing  now  a  moment  to  catch  his  breath,  he 
looked  about  him.  Dim  as  was  the  light  of  the 
fast-falling  evening,  he  could  not  help  giving  an  ex- 
clamation of  delight  at  the  vision  he  beheld.  To 
the  north  and  west  of  him  he  saw  the  twinkling 
lights  of  several  villages  through  which  he  had 
already  passed.  To  the  east  of  him  was  the  bay, 
its  tossing  waves  capped  with  white,  its  islands  like 
so  many  dark  gems  on  the  bosom  of  the  angry 
waters.  To  the  south  there  was  first  a  stretch  of 
land,  and  then  the  broad  expanse  of  the  well-nigh 
boundless  ocean. 

"  It  must  be  a  beautiful  place  to  live,  and  I  hope 


BUDI)  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  7 

to  find  a  home  here,"  he  remarked,  as  he  resumed 
his  journey. 

A  few  rods  farther  on  he  came  to  a  farm-house, 
and  turned  up  to  its  nearest  door.  As  he  was  about 
to  knock,  a  man  came  from  the  barn-yard,  a  Httle 
distance  away,  and  accosted  him  : 

"  Good-evening !" 

"  Good-evening !"  responded  the  lad. 

Then  he  asked : 

"  Is  this  Mr.  Benton  ?" 

"  No ;  I'm  Mr.  Wright,"  answered  the  man,  pleas- 
antly. "  Benton  lives  on  the  next  farm.  You  will 
have  to  turn  into  the  next  gateway  and  go  down  the 
lane,  as  his  house  stands  some  distance  from  the  road." 

'••  I  was  told,"  explained  the  lad,  "  that  he  wished 
to  hire  help,  and  I  hoped  to  get  work  there.  Could 
you  tell  me  what  the  prospect  is  ?" 

The  man  had  now  reached  the  boy's  side,  and  was 
looking  him  over  with  evident  curiosity. 

"  Well,"  he  replied,  slowly,  "  I  think  he  wants  to 
get  a  young  fellow  for  the  coming  season,  and  hadn't 
hired  anyone  the  last  I  knew.  But  I  guess  you  must 
be  a  stranger  in  these  parts," 

"  Yes,"  the  lad  answered,  briefly  ;  and  then  thank- 
ing the  man  for  his  information  he  turned  away. 

"  I  thought  so,"  the  man  called  after  him,  "  else 
you  wouldn't  want  to  go  there  to  work." 

The  boy  scarcely  gave  heed  to  the  remark  then ; 
but  it  was  not  long  before  he  knew  by  hard  experi- 
ence the  meaning  of  it. 

A  quarter  of  a  mile  farther  on  he  reached  a  gate, 


8  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

and  passing  through  it,  he  hastened  down  the  nar- 
row lane  till  he  came  to  a  long,  low,  dilapidated 
house.;  but  in  the  darkness,  which  had  by  this  time 
fallen,  he  was  not  able  to  form  any  definite  idea  of 
his  surroundings. 

A  feeble  light  came  forth  from  a  back  window, 
and  guided  by  this,  he  found  the  rear  door  of  the 
building.  To  his  knock  there  was  a  chorus  of  re- 
sponses. Dogs  barked,  children  screamed,  and  above 
the  din  a  gruff  voice  shouted : 

"  Come  in !" 

A  little  disconcerted  by  the  unusual  sounds,  the 
lad,  instead  of  obeying  the  invitation,  knocked 
again.  Then  there  was  a  heavy  step  across  the 
floor,  the  door  swung  open  with  a  jerk,  and  a  tall, 
raw-boned  man,  shaggy-bearded  and  shock-haired, 
stood  on  the  threshold. 

Eying  the  lad  for  a  moment  in  surprise,  he  asked, 
•  somewhat  surlily : 
J  "  What  do  you  want,  youngster  ?" 

"  Are  you  Mr.  Benton  V  the  lad  asked. 

"  Yes ;  what  of  it  V  the  man  answered,  sharply. 

"  I  was  told  you  wanted  help,  and  I  have  called  to 
see  about  it,"  explained  the  boy. 

"  Come  in,  then,"  said  the  man,  and  his  tones  were 
wonderfully  modified. 

The  lad  now  obeyed,  and  found  himself  in  a  large 
room,  evidently  the  kitchen  and  living-room  all  in 
one.  There  was  no  carpet  on  the  floor,  and  a  stove, 
a  table  and  a  half-dozen  chairs  constituted  its  furni- 
ture. 


BUBB  BOYT)'S  TRIUMPH.  9 

Two  large  dogs  lay  before  the  fire,  growling  sul- 
lenly. A  woman  and  four  small  children  Avere 
seated  at  the  table.  An  empty  chair  and  an  un- 
emptied  plate  showed  that  Mr.  Benton  had  been 
eating  when  he  was  called  to  the  door. 

There  was  food  enough  upon  the  table,  but  its 
disorderly  arrangement,  and  the  hap-hazard  way  in 
which  each  child  was  helping  itself,  caused  the  lad 
to  give  an  involuntary  shudder  as  his  host  invited 
him  to  sit  down  "  an'  take  a  bite  while  they  talked 
over  business  together." 

Mr.  Benton  evidently  meant  to  give  his  caller  a 
most  flattering  impression  of  his  hospitality,  for  he 
heaped  the  lad's  plate  with  cold  pork,  brown  bread, 
and  vegetables,  and  even  called  on  his  wife  to  get 
some  of  that  "  apple  sass  "  for  the  young  stranger. 

The  boy  was  hungry,  and  the  food  was,  after  all, 
wholesome,  and  he  stowed  away  a  quantity  that 
surprised  himself,  if  not  his  host.  When  supper  Avas 
eaten,  Mr.  Benton  pushed  back  his  chair  and  ab- 
ruptly asked  his  guest : 

"  Who  are  ye  ?" 

"  Budd  Boyd,"  promptly  answered  the  lad. 

"  That's  a  kinder  cur'us  name,  now  ain't  it  ?"  ques- 
tioned Mr.  Benton.  ''I  dunno  any  Boyds  round 
here.     Where  be  ye  from  ?" 

"  I  came  from  Massachusetts,"  replied  Budd,  with 
the  air  of  one  who  had  studied  his  answer ;  but  it 
seemed  for  some  reason  to  be  very  satisfactory  to 
his  questioner. 

"'  Any  parents  V  next  inquired  Mr.  Benton. 


10  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

"  My  mother  is  dead,  and  my  father  is  not  keep- 
ing house  now.  I'm  to  look  out  for  myself,"  said 
the  lad,  somewhat  hesitatingly. 

"  I  guess  ye  ain't  used  to  farm  Avork,  be  ye  ?" 
now  inquired  Mr.  Benton,  doubtingly,  and  looking 
at  Budd's  hands,  which  were  as  w^hite  and  soft  as  a 
lady's. 

"  No,  sir ;  but  I'm  willing  to  learn,"  said  the  lad. 

"  Of  course  ye  can't  expect  much  in  the  way  of 
wages,"  remarked  Mr.  Benton,  cautiously. 

"  No,  not  until  I  can  do  my  full  share  of  work," 
said  Budd,  indifferently. 

A  light  gleamed  for  a  moment  in  Mr.  Benton's 
eyes. 

"  I  might  give  ye  ten  dollars  a  month  an'  board, 
beginnin'  the  fust  of  the  month,  ye  to  work  round 
for  yer  board  till  then,"  he  ventured. 

"  Very  well,"  responded  the  lad ;  and  immediately 
after  he  added : 

"  I've  walked  a  good  ways  to-day,  and  if  you  don't 
mind,  I'll  go  to  my  room." 

"  Purhaps  we'd  better  draw  up  a  paper  of  agree- 
ment, an'  both  of  us  sign  it,"  suggested  Mr.  Benton, 
rubjbing  his  hands  vigorously  together,  as  though 
w^ell  pleased  with  himself  and  everybody  else. 

''AH  right,  if  that  is  your  custom,"  said  Budd. 
"  Draw  up  the  paper,  and  I'll  sign  it." 

After  considerable  effort,  Mr.  Benton  produced 
the  following  document : 

On  this  20  day  of  March  Budd  Boyd,  a  miner  of 
Mass.,  agres  to  work  for  me,  John  Benton.     He's  to 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  11 

begin  work  April  fust,  an'  work  6  raunths,  at  10 
dollers  an'  bord.  He's  to  work  til  the  fust  for  his 
bord.  If  he  quits  work  before  his  time  is  up  he's  to 
have  no  pay.     To  this  I  agree. 

John  Benton,  on  his  part. 

Budd  read  the  paper,  and  could  scarcely  suppress 
a  smile  as  he  signed  his  name  under  Mr.  Benton's, 
and  in  imitation  of  him,  added  the  words  "  on  his 
part"  after  the  signature.  He  knew,  however 
much  importance  Mr.  Benton  might  attach  to  it, 
that  as  a  legal  document  it  had  no  special  force.  He 
simply  set  the  w^hole  act  down  as  one  of  the  whims 
of  his  employer,  and  gave  no  more  thought  to  the 
matter.  But  it  was  destined  to  serve  that  gentle- 
man's purpose,  nevertheless,  until  taken  forcibly 
from  him. 

Mr.  Benton  now  showed  Budd  up  to  a  back  room 
on  the  second  floor,  and  telling  him  that  he  would 
call  him  early  in  the  morning,  bade  him  good-night. 

The  room  the  lad  had  entered  was  bare  and  cold. 
A  single  chair,  a  narrow  bedstead,  a  rude  rack  on 
the  wall  to  hang  his  garments  upon,  were  all  it  con- 
tained. Yet  it  was  evidently  with  some  satisfaction 
that  the  lad  opened  his  bundle,  hung  up  the  few 
clothes  it  held,  and  prepared  for  bed.  As  he  drew 
the  quilts  over  himself  he  murmured  : 

"  I  don't  think  I  ever  had  more  uncomfortable 
quarters  in  my  life,  and  the  outlook  for  the  next  six 
months,  at  least,  is  far  from  encouraging.  Still,  I 
would  not  go  back  to  what  I  have  left  behind  for 
anything." 


12  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

He  was  tired.  The  rain  that  was  now  falling 
heavily  upon  the  roof  just  over  his  head  acted  as  a 
sedative  and  lulled  him  to  sleep.  But  his  was  not 
an  unbroken  rest,  for  at  times  he  tossed  to  and  fro, 
and  muttered  strange  sentences.  One  was,  "  Father 
never  did  it ;  how  could  they  treat  him  so  ?"  An- 
other, "  I  can  never  face  them  again ;  no,  never !" 
Still  another,  "  Thank  Heaven,  mother  never  lived 
to  know  the  worst !"  After  that  the  troubled  sleeper 
must  have  had  pleasanter  dreams,  for  he  murmured 
the  words,  "  Mother ;  father ;  a  home  at  last !" 
From  these,  however,  he  was  rudely  awakened  by  a 
gruff  call : 

"  Budd !  Budd !  get  up  and  come  out  to  the  barn." 
Dazed,  bewildered,  he  arose,  and  groped  about  in 
the  darkness  for  his  clothing.  By  the  time  he  was 
dressed  a  full  consciousness  of  his  situation  had  come 
back  to  him,  and  with  a  stout  heart  he  went  out,  to 
bes^n  whafy  was  to  him  equally  new  duties  a,nd  a  new 
life  ' 


BVDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH  ijj 


CHAPTER  II. 

A   SLIGHT   MI8UNDEKSTANDIN&. 

IT  WAS  still  dark,  and  the  rain  fell  in  torrents  as 
Budd  opened  the  kitchen  door  and  ran  hastily 
out  to  the  barn,  where  Mrs.  Benton,  who  was  mak- 
ing preparations  for  breakfast,  had  told  him  he 
would  find  her  husband.  He  noticed  the  kitchen 
time-piece  as  he  passed  through  the  room,  and  knew 
it  was  not  yet  four  o'clock.  Early  rising  was  evi- 
dently one  of  the  things  to  be  expected  in  his  new 
home. 

Reaching  the  barn  quite  drenched,  Budd  found 
Mr.  Benton  engaged  in  feeding  a  dozen  or  more 
gaunt  and  ill-kept  cows,  who  seized  the  musty  ha}'^ 
thrown  down  to  them  with  an  avidity  that  suggested, 
on  their  part,  a  scarcity  of  rations.  The  same  un- 
tidiness that  marked  the  house  was  to  be  seen  about 
the  barn  also,  which,  if  anything,  was  in  a  more 
dilapidated  condition  than  the  former. 

"  Good-morning,  Mr.  Benton.  What  can  I  do  to 
assist  you  ?"  asked  Budd,  pleasantly,  as  soon  as  he 
entered  the  barn. 

"  Hum !  I  don't  supjx)se  ye  can  milk  ?"  was  the 
rather  ungracious  response. 


14  BUDB  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

"No,  sir;  but  I'm  willing  to  learn,"  replied  Budd, 
good-naturedly. 

"  Well,  I'll  see  'bout  that  after  awhile.  I  suppose 
ye  might  as  well  begin  now  as  any  time.  But  fust 
git  up  on  that  mow  an'  throw  down  more  hay. 
These  pesky  critters  eat  more'n  their  necks  are 
wuth,"  said  Mr.  Benton,  kicking  savagely  at  a  cow 
that  was  reaching  out  for  the  wad  of  hay  he  was 
carrying  by  her. 

Budd  obeyed  with  alacrity ;  and  when  that  job 
was  finished  it  was  followed  by  others,  including  the 
milking,  wherein  the  lad  proved  an  apt  scholar, 
until  nearly  six  o'clock,  when  Mrs.  Benton's  shrill 
voice  summoned  them  to  breakfast.  That  meal, 
possibly  on  account  of  Budd's  want  of  the  good  ap- 
petite he  had  had  the  night  before,  seemed  to  him 
greatly  inferior  to  his  supper.  The  coffee  was  bitter 
and  sweetned  with  molasses,  the  johnny-cakes  w^ere 
burnt,  and  the  meat  and  vegetables  were  cold.  He 
did  his  best  to  eat  heartily  of  the  unsavory  food, 
however — partly  that  he  might  not  seem  to  his  em- 
ployer over-fastidious  in  taste,  and  partly  because 
the  morning's  work  had  taught  him  that  he  should 
need  all  the  strength  he  could  obtain  ere  his  day's 
taslt'  was  over.  Stormy  though  it  was,  he  felt  sure 
Mr.  Benton  would  find  enough  for  him  to  do. 

In  fact,  long  before  the  first  of  April  came,  Budd 
realized  fully  the  force  of  the  words  Mr.  Wright  had 
sliouted  after  him  the  night  he  stopped  there  to  in- 
quire the  way  to  Mr.  Benton's.  Had  he  really 
known  his  employer  and  family,  he  certainly  would 


liUDD  BOYD'S  TRltMPS,  15 

not  Ijave  been  over-anxious  to  have  hired  out  to  him 
for  the  season  ;  for  the  dilapidated  condition  of  the 
buildings  and  the  untidiness  and  disorder  that 
marked  everything  about  the  place  were  not,  after 
all,  the  worst  features  with  which  Budd  had  to  deal. 
He  soon  found  that  his  employer  was  a  hard,  cruel, 
grasping  tyrant,  while  his  wife  was  a  complete  ter- 
magant, scolding  and  fault-finding  incessantly  from 
morning  until  night.  There  was  not  an  animal  on 
the  place  that  escaped  the  abuse  of  the  master,  and 
not  even  the  master  himself  escaped  the  tirades  of 
the  mistress. 

Budd,  by  faithfully  performing  every  task  as- 
signed him,  and  thus  frequentl}"  doing  twice  over 
what  a  lad  of  his  age  should  have  been  expected  to 
do,  tried  to  win  the  approval  of  both  Mr.  Behton 
and  his  wife.  He  soon  found  this  impossible,  and 
so  contented  himself  with  domg  what  he  felt  to  be 
right,  and  cheerfully  bore  the  scoldings  that  soon 
became  an  hourly  occurrence. 

Tt  was  indeed  astonishing  with  what  good  nature 
the  lad  bore  both  the  work  and  the  abuse  put  upon 
him.  Mr.  Benton  attributed  it  to  the  paper  he  had 
asked  the  boy  to  sign,  and  chuckled  to  himself  at 
the  thought  that  Budd's  fear  of  losing  his  wages 
kept  him  so  industrious  and  docile.  He  confiden- 
tially admitted  to  his  wife,  one  day,  that  the  lad  was 
worth  twice  what  he  had  agreed  to  pay  him  ;  "  only 
I  ain't  paid  him  nothin'  as  yJt,"  he  added,  with  a 
knowing  look,  which  his  wife  seemed  to  understand, 
for  she  replied : 


16  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

"  Now  ye  are  up  to  another  of  yer  capers,  John 
Benton.  There  never  was  a  man  on  the  earth 
meaner  than  ye  are !" 

But*  Mr.  Wright,  who  knew  his  neighbors  well, 
could  in  no  way  account  for  the  lad's  willingness  to 
endure  what  he  knew  he  must  be  enduring,  and 
finally  his  curiosity  got  the  better  of  him;  for, 
meeting  Budd  one  4ay  as  he  was  returning  from  the 
nearest  village,  he  drew  up  his  horses  and  said  : 

"  Budd,  do  you  know  you  are  the  profoundest  ex- 
ample of  human  patience  I  ever  saw  ?" 

"No;  is  that  so?"  replied  Budd,  with  a  laugh. 
"  What  makes  you  think  so  ?" 

"Well,"  remarked  Mr.  Wright,  leaning  on  his 
wagon-seat  and  looking  down  into  the  smiling  coun- 
tenance before  him,  "  I  have  lived  here  beside 
John  Benton  and  his  wife  ten  years,  and  know  them 
well  enough  to  be  sure  that  an  angel  direct  from 
Heaven  couldn't  long  stand  their  abuse ;  and  yet 
you  have  actually  been  there  four  weeks,  and  are 
still  as  cheerful  as  a  lark  on  one  of  these  beautiful 
spring  mornings.  Will  you  just  explain  to  me  how 
you  manage  to  stand  it  ?" 

While  he  was  speaking  a  far-away  look  had  come 
into  the  lad's  eyes,  and  a  shudder  shook  his  robust 
frame  as  though  he  saw  something  very  disagreeable 
to  himself;  but  he  answered,  quietly  enough : 

"  Mr.  Wright,  there  are  some  things  in  this  world 
harder  to  bear  than  either  work  or  abuse,  and  I  pre- 
fer even  to  live  with  John  Benton's  family  than  to 
go  back  to  the  life  I  have  left  behind  me." 


BtiDD  ^OtD'S  TRIVMPB.  Yl 

"With  these  words  Budd  started  up  his  oxen  and 
went  on,  leaving  Mr.  Wright  to  resume  his  journey 
more  mystified  than  ever. 

On  the  first  day  of  Ma}'^  Budd  asked  Mr.  Benton 
for  the  previous  month's  pa3^ 

They  were  at  work  putting  in  corn,  and  the  lad's 
request  took  his  employer  so  by  surprise  that  his 
hoe-handle  dropped  from  his  grasp. 

"  Me  pay  ye  now  !"  he  exclaimed.  "  What  are  ye 
thinkin'  of  ?" 

Then,  as  though  another  idea  had  come  to  his 
mind,  he  said,  persuasively  : 

"  Ye  don't  need  no  money,  an'  'twill  be  better  to 
have  yer  pay  all  in  a  bunch.  Jes'  think  how  much 
'twill  be — sixty  dollers,  an'  all  yer  own." 

"  But  I  have  a  special  use  for  the  money,"  persisted 
Budd ;  "  and  as  I  have  earned  it,  I  should  think  you 
might  give  it  to  me." 

He  spoke  all  the  more  emphatically  because  he 
knew  that  Mr,  Benton  had  quite  a  sum  of  money  by 
him,  and  that  he  could  easily  pay  him  if  he  chose  to 
do  so. 

For  reply,  Mr.  Benton  put  his  hand  into  his 
pocket,  and  taking  out  his  wallet,  opened  it.  From 
it  he  then  took  the  paper  of  agreement  that  Budd 
and  he  had  signed.  This  he  slowly  spelled  out,  and 
when  he  had  finished,  asked : 

"  Does  this  here  paper  say  anythin'  'bout  my  pay- 
in'  ye  every  raunth  ?" 

"  Xo,  sir,"  Budd  reluctantly  admitted. 

"  But  it  does  say,  if  ye  quit  yer  work  'fore  yer 


Ig  BXIDD  BOYD^S  TRWMP3. 

time  is  up  ye  are  to  have  no  pay,  doesn't  it  ?"  in- 
quired the  man,  significant!}'. 

"Yes,  sir,"  the  lad  rephed,  now  reahzing  how 
mean  and  contemptible  his  employer  was,  and  what 
had  been  his  real  object  in  drawing  up  that  paper. 

"  Well,  how  can  I  know  ye  are  goin'  to  stay  with 
me  yer  whole  time  till  it's  up  ?"  he  asked,  with  a 
show  of  triumph  in  his  tones. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  you  don't  intend  to  pay  me 
anything  until  October  ?"  asked  Budd,  indignantly. 

"That's  the  agreement,"  replied  Mr.  Benton, 
coolly,  returning  the  paper  to  his  wallet  and  placing 
it  in  his  pocket.  "  If  ye'll  keep  yer  part,  I'll  keep 
mine." 

He  now  picked  up  his  hoe  and  resumed  his  work. 

For  the  first  time  since  he  came  to  the  farm  Budd 
felt  an  impulse  to  leave  his  employer.  It  was  with 
great  difficulty  indeed  that  he  refrained  from  throw- 
ing down  his  hoe,  going  to  the  house  after  his  few 
effects,  and  quitting  the  place  forever.  But  he  did, 
and  went  resolutely  on  with  his  work.  Fortunate 
for  him  was  it,  though  he  did  not  know  it  then,  that 
he  did  so.  Later  on,  he  could  see  that  the  ruling'  of 
his  spirit  that  day  won  for  him,  if  not  a  city,  cer- 
tainly tlie  happiest  results,  though  severe  trials 
stood  between  him  and  their  consummation. 

That  night,  at  as  early  an  hour  as  possible,  Budd 
sought  his  little  room.  Closing  the  door  carefully 
after  him,  he  walked  over  to  the  rude  rack  on  the 
wall  and  took  down  his  light  overcoat.  From  an 
inside  pocket  he  took  a  long  wallet,  and  from  the 


hUDD  BOYD''S  TBItlMPB.  19 

wallet  a  postal  card.  Addressing  it  with  a  pencil 
to  "N.  B.  Johnson,  Esq.,  Ko.  127  Sumner  Street, 
Boston,  Mass.,"  he  wrote  rapidl}"-  and  in  tiniest  char- 
acters, on  the  reverse  side,  without  giving  place  or 
date,  the  following  words : 

Dear  Sie  : — I  promised  you  last  March  to  send 
you  some  money  each  month  until  the  total  amount 
remaining  due  to  you  was  paid.  I  have  secured 
work  at  a  small  compensation,  but  find,  through  a 
misunderstanding  with  my  employer,  that  I  am  not 
to  have  my  pay  until  the  six  months  for  which  I 
have  hired  out  are  ended.  At  that  time  you  may  ex- 
pect a  remittance  from  me.  I  am  very  sorry  to 
make  this  change  in  my  original  plans,  but  cannot 
help  it,  and  trust  you  will  be  satisfied  Avith  this  ar- 
rangement. Truly  yours, 

BuDD  Boyd. 

It  was  several  days  later,  however,  before  Budd 
had  an  opportunity  to  go  up  to  the  neighboring  vil- 
lage. When  he  did  go,  he  took  care  not  to  drop  the 
postal  into  the  post-office,  but  handed  it  directly  to 
a  mail  agent  upon  a  passing  train.  His  reason  for 
this  act  could  not  be  easily  misunderstood.  Evi- 
dently he  did  not  care  that  the  Mr.  Johnson  to 
whom  he  had  written  should  know  his  exact  where- 
abouts. But  his  precaution  was  unnecessary,  for  be- 
fore the  summer  months  had  fairly  come  he  was  to 
see  Mr.  Johnson  under  circumstances  most  trying  to 
himself. 


20  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRWMPH. 


CHAPTEK  III. 

AGAINST   WIND   AND   TIDE. 

NOT  A  GREAT  distance  north  of  the  farm  of 
Mr,  Benton,  and  stretching  some  distance 
along  the  shore  of  the  bay,  there  is  a  singular  for- 
mation of  sand  and  rocks  known  as  "  The  Hum- 
mocks." A  small  cove  lies  south  and  west  of  the 
formation,  while  the  main  bay  stretches  out  to  its 
widest  extent  from  the  east.  The  onl}^  point,  then, 
where  "  The  Hummocks  "  touch  the  main-land  is  at 
the  north ;  and  even  this  point  of  contact  is  so  nar- 
row as  to  simply  furnish  a  roadwaj"^  down  onto 
"  The  Hummocks  "  themselves. 

Of  these  hummocks,  for  there  are  but  two,  the 
northern  one  is  much  the  smaller,  embracing  per- 
haps an  acre  of  rough  soil,  covered  with  a  stunted 
grass,  and  dotted  here  and  there  with  red  cedars. 
The  southern  one,  on  the  other  hand,  covered  like 
its  smaller  mate  with  a  scanty  vegetation  and  scat- 
tered trees,  broadens  out  so  as  to  nearly  land-lock 
the  cove  behind  it,  and  causes  its  waters  to  rush  in 
or  out,  according  to  the  tide,  through  an  exceedingly 
contracted  passage-way  at  its  extreme  southern  end, 
popularly  called  "  the  narrows."  The  point  of  con- 
tact of  the  southern  with  the  northern  hummock, 


BUBD  BOTDS  TRIUMPH.  21 

like  the  nortliern  hummock  with  the  main-land,  is 
also  very  narrow ;  and  to  its  narrowness  is  added 
another  feature :  it  is  so  low,  or  in  more  technical 
language  it  is  so  nearly  on  a  level  with  the  high- 
water  mark,  that  when  there  happens  to  be  a  strong 
wind  from  either  the  northeast  or  the  southeast, 
the  waters  of  the  bay,  on  the  incoming  tide,  will 
rush  with  great  force  over  the  slight  barrier  and 
mingle  with  the  waters  of  the  cove,  making  an 
island,  for  the  time,  of  the  larger  and  more  southern 
hummock. 

Perhaps  half  or  tliree-quarters  of  a  mile  off  shore, 
and  a  little  to  the  northeast  of  these  hummocks, 
there  is  an  island  of  an  irregular  shape,  and  a  few 
acres  in  extent,  that  bears  the  name  of  Fox  Island. 
The  name  has  belonged  to  it  since  Colonial  days, 
but  the  reason  therefor  is  unknown,  unless  at  some 
remote  period  some  solitary  animal  of  that  specific 
genus  which  gives  the  island  its  title  may  have  there 
made  its  home. 

This  island  had  in  later  years,  however,  a  more 
illustrious  if  not  less  solitary  inhabitant.  A  gentle- 
man of  some  means,  tired  of  society,  or  for  some 
reason  at  enmity  with  it,  crossed  over  from  the 
main-land,  erected  a  small  house,  dug  a  well,  set  out 
trees,  planted  a  garden,  and  built  a  wharf — in  fact 
set  up  thereon  a  complete  habitation.  Not  long, 
ho\vever,sdid  he  endure  his  self-imposed  solitude. 
Scarcely  were  his  arrangements  completed  when  an 
unfortunate  accident  caused  his  death,  and  the 
island  and  its  improvements  were  left  to  be  the 


22  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

home  of  the  sea-fowls  or  the  temporary  abode  of 
some  passing  fisherman. 

This  extended  description  has  been  given  here  be- 
cause it  is  essential  that  the  reader  should  form 
some  definite  idea  of  the  island  and  its  relation  to 
"  The  Hummocks,"  for  on  and  about  them  no  small 
portion  of  our  young  hero's  summer  was  destined  to 
be  spent. 

Mr.  Benton  oAvned  what  is  termed  "a  shore  privi- 
lege "  on  the  lower  half  of  the  southern  hummock, 
and  the  peculiar  situation  of  that  rocky  formation 
to  the  bay  made  it  a  valuable  one,  for  heavy  winds 
from  any  eastern  or  southern  quarter  brought  onto 
the  beach  there  immense  quantities  of  sea-weed,  so 
highly  prized  by  the  farmer  as  a  fertilizer. 

During  the  fall  and  winter  months  previous  to 
Budd's  coming  to  the  farm,  owing  to  the  repeated 
storms  there  had  been  landed  on  "  The  Hummocks  " 
so  large  and  unusual  an  amount  of  this  weed  that 
Mr.  Benton  had  contented  himself  witii  simplv  gath- 
ering it  into  a  huge  pile  on  the  summit  thereof, 
above  high-water  mark,  intending  to  remove  it  to 
the  farm  in  the  spring.  So  it  fell  to  Budd's  lot  to 
cart  from  the  heap  to  the  farm  as  the  weed  was 
needed,  and  one  day  near  the  middle  of  May  found 
him  engaged  in  this  work. 

It  was  a  cloudy,  threatening  day.  The  wind  was 
from  the  southeast,  and  blew  with  a  freshness-  that 
promised  a  severe  storm  before  the  day  was  over. 
Perhaps  it  was  on  this  account  that  Mr.  Benton  had 
directed  the  lad  to  engage  in  this  particular  work. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  23 

He  was  himself  obliged  to  be  off  on  business,  and 
this  was  a  job  at  which  Budd  could  work  alone,  and 
the  weather  was  hardh-^  propitious  for  any  other 
undertaking.  So  immediately  after  breakfast  Budd 
yoked  the  oxen  to  the  cart  and  started  for  his  first 
load. 

"  There  ain't  over  -four  loads  more  down  there,  an' 
if  ye  work  spry  ye  can  git  it  all  up  by  nite,"'  Mr. 
Benton  shouted  after  him  as  he  drove  off. 

The  distance  to  "■  The  Hummocks  "  from  the  farm 
was  such  that  with  the  slow-walking  oxen  one  load 
for  each  half-day  had  been  regarded  as  a  sufficient 
task.  But  Budd  knew  he  had  an  early  start,  and 
he  determined  to  do  his  best  to  bring  all  the  weed 
home  that  day.  He  therefore  quickened  the  pace  of 
the  oxen,  and  before  nine  o'clock  had  made  his  first 
return  to  the  farm.  Unloading  with  haste,  he  im- 
mediately started  back  for  his  second  load.  "When 
he  crossed  from  the  north  to  the  south  hummock  he 
noticed  tlie  incoming  tide  was  nearly  across  the 
roadway,  but  thought  little  of  it. 

On  examining  the  heap  of  weed,  he  became  con- 
vinced that  by  loading  heavil}'  he  could  carry  what 
remained  at  two  loads.  He  therefore  pitched  away 
until  in  his  judgment  half  of  the  heap  was  u})on  his 
cart.  It  made  a  tremendous  load;  but  the  oxen 
were  stout,  and  bending  their  necks  to  the  yoke, 
they  at  Budd's  command  started  slowly  off. 

As  he  approached  the  narrow  passage-way  he 
noticed  the  tide  had  gained  rapidl}',  and  was  now 
sweeping  over  it  with  considerable  force  and  depth. 


24  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

Jumping  upon  the  tongue  of  the  cart,  he  urged  his 
oxen  through  the  tossing  waves.  To  his  consterna- 
tion the  water  came  well  up  around  the  oxen's 
backs,  and  had  he  not  quickly  scrambled  to  the  top 
of  his  load  he  would  have  got  thoroughly  drenched. 

The  cattle,  however,  raised  their  noses  as  high  as 
possible  and  plunged  bravely  through  the  flood,  and 
soon  emerged  on  the  other  side  with  their  load  un- 
harmed. The  rest  of  the  journey  home  was  made 
without  difficulty,  and  Budd  at  dinner-time  had  the 
satisfaction  of  knowing  that  two-thirds  of  his  ap- 
pointed work  Avas  already  accomplished, 

Mr.  Benton  had  not  yet  arrived  home,  and  hurry- 
ing through  dinner,  the  lad  hastened  off  for  his 
third  and  last  load,  hoping  to  get  back  to  the  farm 
with  it  before  his  employer  came.  Hardly  had  he 
started,  however,  when  it  began  to  rain,  and  as  he 
passed  down  onto  the  first  hummock  the  wind  was 
blowing  with  a  velocity  that  made  it  almost  impos- 
sible for  the  oxen  to  stand  before  it. 

Slowly,  however,  the  passage  across  the  first 
hummock  was  made,  and  Budd  approached  the  nar- 
row roadway  leading  to  the  other ;  then  he  stopped 
the  oxen  in  sheer  amazement.  In  front  of  him  was 
a  strip  of  surging  and  tossing  water  of  uncertain 
depth,  and  he  instinctively  felt  that  there  was  a 
grave  risk  in  attempting  to  push  through  to  the 
other  side.  But  he  was  anxious  to  secure  his  load. 
He  had  jjassed  through  safely  enough  before,  and  he 
resolved  to  attempt  the  crossing  now,  counting  on 
Iiothing  worse  than  a  severe  drenching. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  25 

This  was  a  grave  mistake,  and  Budd  would  have 
realized  it  had  he  only  stopped  to  think  that  there 
was  quite  a  difference  between  his  situation  now  and 
Avhen  he  had  made  his  successful  crossing  before 
dinner.  Then  he  had  a  loaded  cart,  the  wind  and 
tide  were  both  in  his  favor,  and  the  water  had  not 
reached  either  its  present  depth  or  expanse.  Kow 
his  cart  was  empty,  a  significant  and  important 
fact ;  the  wind  was  blowing  with  greater  force  and 
directly  against  him ;  while  the  tide,  as  he  would 
have  seen  had  he  watched  it  closel}^  had  now  turned, 
and  was  rushing  back  from  the  cove  and  out  into 
the  open  bay  with  a  strength  almost  irresistible. 

But  unmindful  of  these  things,  Budd  bade  his 
oxen  go  on ;  and  though  they  at  first  shrunk  from 
entering  the  angry  waters,  he  plied  the  stinging 
blows  of  the  lash  until  they  began  the  passage. 
For  a  rod  they  went  steadily  on,  though  the  waves 
dashed  over  their  backs  and  rushed  into  the  cart, 
wetting  Budd  to  the  knees.  Then  there  came  sud- 
denly a  huge  billow,  rolling  outward,  that  lifted  the 
cart  and  oxen  from  the  road-bed  and  swept  them 
out  into  the  bay. 

The  moment  Budd  realized  that  the  cart  was  afloat 
and  the  oxen  were  swimming  for  their  lives,  his  im- 
pulse was  not  to  save  himself,  but  the  unfortunate 
beasts  that  throuo^h  his  rashness  had  been  brouo-ht 
into  danger.  Springing,  therefore,  between  them, 
he  caught  hold  of  the  yoke  with  one  hand,  and  with 
the  other  wrenched  out  the  iron  pin  that  fastened 
it  to  the  tongue,  and  thus  freed  them  from  the  cart. 


36  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

In  the  effort,  however,  he  lost  his  hold  upon  the 
yoke,  and  the  next  minute  found  himself  left  alone, 
struggling  with  the  angry  billows. 

He  was  now  forced  to  look  out  for  himself,  and 
could  not  watch  the  fate  of  the  oxen,  even  had  he 
had  an  inclination  to  do  so.  Indeed,  with  his  water- 
soaked  clothing,  which  greatly  impeded  his  efforts, 
there  was  already  a  serious  question  whether  he 
would  be  able  to  reach  the  shore,  good  swimmer 
tlioiigh  he  was.  With  a  strength  born  from  the 
very  sense  of  the  danger  that  overwhelmed  him  he 
turned  his  face  toward  the  fast  receding  shore  and 
swam  manfully  for  it.  For  a  time  he  seemed  to  be 
gaining,  but  both  wind  and  tide  were  against  him, 
and  his  strength  was  soon  exhausted.  Slowly  he 
felt  himself  sinking.  Already  the  waves  were  dash- 
ing over  his  head.  He  made  one  spasmodic  effort  to 
regain  the  surface ;  then  he  had  a  faint  conscious- 
ness of  being  caught  by  a  huge  billow  and  hurled 
against  some  hard  object,  and  all  was  blank. 


3udd  plied  the  stinging  blows  of  the  lash  until  suddenly  a  huge  billow 
lifted  the  cart  and  oxen  from  the  road-bed  and  swept 

them  into  the  bay.-HSee  page  25.)  ^ 


28  BUBD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH, 


CHAPTER  IV. 

A  NEW    FRIEND. 

HOW  LONG  Budd  remained  unconscious  he 
never  exactly  knew.  It  must  have  been  some 
hours,  however,  for  when  he  recovered  sufficiently 
to  look  about  him  it  was  night ;  at  least  a  darkness 
almost  thick  enough  to  be  felt  was  all  around  him. 
He  could  hear  the  wind  whistling  fiercely  above  his 
head,  yet  he  felt  it  not.  He  could  hear  the  sound  of 
dashing  waves  but  faintly,  as  though  some  distance 
•away.  He  was  evidently  lying  upon  a  hard  board 
or  floor ;  yet  to  it  there  was  a  gentle,  undulating 
motion^  like  that  of  a  boat  in  some  sheltered  harbor, 
or  drawn,  bow  up,  onto  a  sandy  beach. 

With  difficulty  he  sat  up.  His  clothes  were 
heavy  with  water,  and  he  was  stiff  and  numb  from 
cold  and  exposure.  He  put  out  his  right  hand,  and 
it  rested  upon  a  short  board  partition ;  he  stretched 
out  his  left  hand,  and  it  touched  a  similar  one,  about 
the  same  distance  away.  Then  he  knew  he  was  in 
the  body  of  his  ox-cart,  which  had  in  some  way  be- 
come detached  from  its  wheels.  It  must  have'  been 
this  into  which  he  had  been  providentially  thrown 
just  as  he  had  lost  consciousness.  But  where  was 
the  cart-bodv  ? 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  29 

Certainly  it  was  no  longer  tossed  about  by  the 
angry  waters  of  the  bay.  Where,  then,  had  it 
landed  ?  He  rose  up,  and  his  head  came  so  forcibly 
in  contact  with  a  heavy  planking  that  he  was 
thrown  off  his  feet.  Kubbing  the  bruised  spot  ten- 
derly, he  crept  along  to  the  side  of  the  cart-bed  and 
put  out  his  hand  as  far  as  possible;  but  it  touched 
nothing.  Slowly  stepping  over  the  side,  he  found 
himself  standing  in  a  few  inches  of  water.  Walking 
directly  ahead  ^  few  steps,  he  came  up  against  a 
solid  wall,  that  extended  either  way  farther  than  he 
could  reach. 

He  now  knew  that  he  was  under  some  wharf, 
where  the  waves  had  tossed  the  cart-bed.  This  ac- 
counted for  the  planking  above  his  head,  for  his 
hearing  the  whistling  wind  without  feeling  it,  for 
the  sound  of  the  dashing  of  the  waves  at  such  a  dis- 
tance from  him,  and  for  the  heavy  darkness  settled 
around.  But  ivhat  wharf  was  it?  Which  Avay 
should  he  go  to  find  the  opening  by  which  he  had 
entered  ? 

He  straightened  himself  up  and  looked  steadily 
first  in  one  and  then  in  an  opposite  direction.  He 
soon  became  convinced  that  to  the  left  he  could  see 
a  little  more  clearly  than  to  the  right,  and  that  it 
was  from  that  direction  that  came  what  little  air  he 
could  feel  stirring.  In  that  direction,  then,  he  de- 
termined to  go.  • 

As  he  advanced  the  water  deepened,  and  the  roof 
became  more  elevated.  Not  only  could  he  now 
stand  erect,  but  the  planking  Vas  higher  above  his 


30  BllDD  BOtD^S  TRttlMPli. 

head  than  he  could  reach.  Soon  the  stone  wall 
ceased,  and  wooden  piles  heavily  boarded  took  its 
place.  Now  he  saw  a  light  space  just  ahead;  the 
wind  fanned  his  cheek;  the  opening  was  not  far 
"off ;  but  the  water  was  up  to  his  neck,  and  he  must 
swim  for  it.  A  few  strokes,  and  he  was  in  the  open 
air.  It  was  very  dark,  yet  not  with  the  intenseness 
he  had  experienced  under  the  wharf.  The  wind  and 
the  rain  beat  fiercely  upon  him.  Unless  some  house 
were  near,  he  had  better  return  under  the  dock  for 
shelter  and  wait  for  morning. 

With  the  little  strength  that  remained  to  him 
he  drew  himself  up  onto  the  wharf  and  looked 
anxiously  about  him.  As  he  looked,  a  great  hope 
sprung  up  within  his  heart.  Not  far  away,  and 
gleaming  brightly  through  the  thick  darkness,  was 
a  light.  With  a  hoarse  cry  of  exultation  he  stag- 
gered to  his  feet  and  went  toward  it.  Brief  as  the 
walk  was,  it  exhausted  him.  He  was  afraid  that  he 
would  not  reach  the  house  from  whose,  window  he 
now  knew  the  light  shone  forth,  and  in  his  despair 
he  shouted : 

"Help!  Help!" 

The  next  instant  the  door  of  the  building  swung 
open,  letting  out  a  flood  of  light  upon  the  exhausted 
lad,  and  a  voice  asked : 

"  Who  are  you  ?    Where  are  you  ?" 

"  Here !"  answered  Budd,  feebly,  stretching  out 
his  hands  toward  the  stranger,  who  sprung  forward 
and  caught  him  just  as  he  was  falling  helplessly  at 
his  feet. 


BtIt)D  BOTD'S  TRWMPlt.  31 

The  stranger  was  a  vouth  no  older  nor  larger  than 
Budd  himself ;  but  he  showed  that  he  possessed  enor- 
mous strength  by  lifting  his  helpless  companion  in 
his  arms  and  carrying  him  into  the  house. 

Closing  the  door  against  the  storm,  he  went  to 
work  upon  Budd  with  a  directness  and  skill  that 
showed  he  knew  just  what  to  do  for  an  exhausted 
person.  The  wet  clothing  was  stripped  off;  the 
numbed  and  chilled  body  was  rubbed  until  the  blood 
began  to  circulate  freely  through  it ;  dry  clothing' 
and  a  Avarm  blanket  were  then  wrapped  about  the 
recovering  lad,  and  he  was  laid  upon  a  rude  pallet 
of  straw  before  the  rusty  stove,  in  which,  however, 
a  good  fire  was  burning.  Nor  did  the  young 
stranger's  attention  to  his  unexpected  guest  end 
here.  From  some  unseen  quarter  he  brought  forth 
a  tin  cup,  and  filled  it  with  hot  coffee  from  a  pot  on 
the  stove.  Milk  and  sugar  were  also  fished  out  of 
their  hiding-places  and  added  to  the  beverage ;  then 
the  whole  was  put  to  Budd's  lips,  with  the  simple 
comment : 

"  There ;  drink  that  down,  and  I'll  warrant  you'll 
be  kicking  round  here  as  lively  as  a  kitten,  in  a  few 
minutes." 

Budd  drained  the  offered  cup,  and  then  said,  grate- 
fully: 

"  I  don't  know  how  I  shall  ever  repay  you  for 
your  kindness  to  me.  I  was  pretty  near  used  up,  I 
declare." 

The  young  host  took  the  cup  from  his  guest  with- 
out a  word,  and  refilled  it.     Sipping  this  slowly  off 


32  ]BV1)D  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH 

himself,  he  eyed  his  visitor  until  he  had  finished  it ; 
then  he  asked,  abruptly  : 

"  Will  you  tell  me  how  you  came  here,  Budd 
Boyd?" 

"  Where  am  I  ?  Who  are  you  ?"  asked  Budd,  sur- 
prised that  the  lad  had  called  him  by  name,  and 
sure  that  he  had  never  seen  him  before. 

The  boy-host  gave  a  comical  shrug  of  his  shoul- 
ders, and  with  a  flourishing  gesture  answered : 

"  I  am  Judd  Floyd,  at  your  service.  This  is  Fox 
Island,  where  I  have  for  the  present  taken  up  my 
solitary  abode,  and  am  monarch  of  all  I  survey. 
But  how  came  you  here  in  all  this  tempest?  Did 
you  see  my  light  streaming  far  across  the  watery 
deep,  and  attempt  to  walk  over?  Hanged  if  I 
wouldn't  think  so,  from  the  looks  of  your  clothes !" 

Weak  as  he  was,  Budd  could  not  help  laughing  at 
the  serio-comic  air  of  his  companion,  but  as  briefly 
as  possible  he  related  his  adventure. 

"  'Twas  a  close  shave,  now,  wasn't  it  ?"  Judd  said, 
with  a  shrill  whistle,  as  Budd  concluded.  "  I  don't 
want  to  try  that  sail,  at  least  on  that  kind  of  a  craft, 
such  a  night  as  this,  you  bet.  Lucky  for  you  I  was 
here,  else  you  might  have  perished  from  sheer  ex- 
haustion before  morning." 

Budd  at  once  admitted  this  ;  then  he  asked : 

"  But  how  is  it  that  you  knew  me  ?  And  how 
long  have  you  been  here  T 

"  Oh  !  I've  seen  you  up  at  the  village  with  Ben- 
ton's ox-team,  and  inquired  your  name.  I  couldn't 
help  remembering  it,  for  it  sounds  much  like  my 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRWMPH.  33 

own.  Yours  is  Budd  Boyd,  and  mine  is  Judd  Fioyd* 
Guess  we  must  be  sort  of  second-rate  twins,"  said 
the  irrepressible  Judd  with  a  comical  grin ;  and  in- 
deed the  lads,  in  size,  figure  and  features,  were  not 
unlike. 

"  How  long  have  I  been  here  ?"  he  w^ent  on. 

"  Just  a  week  to-night,  by  actual  count.  You  see, 
I  have  lived,  as  far  back  as  I  can  remember,  in 
an  old  shanty  just  out  of  the  village.  Pop  got 
drunk  as  a  steady  business,  and  ma  took  in  w^ashing 
and  ironing  to  keep  our  souls  and  bodies  together. 
I  know  now  I  didn't  help  her  as  much  as  I  ought, 
but  she  would  keep  me  in  school,  and  I  did  try  to 
help  her,  out  of  school  hours.  But  last  winter  she 
got  rather  tired  of  this  world,  and  went  where  I 
trust  she  has  peace  and  rest.  She  deserves  them,  for 
she  never  had  them  here ;"  and  the  lad  tried  to  keep 
back  the  tears  that  would  gather  in  his  eyes. 

"  Well,  after  her  death  pop  carried  on  worse  than 
ever,  and  so  the  town  authorities  sent  him  up  to  the 
State  Farm  for  a  six-month  term  as  an  habitual 
drunkard.  Then  the  same  worthy  individuals  that 
disposed  of  him  talked  of  putting  me  on  the  Poor 
Farm  down  there  on  Quidnessett  Neck ;  but  I  had  a 
slight  objection  to  the  arrangement,  and  the  next 
morning  I  was  among  the  missing. 

"  I'd  been  over  here  before,  and  knew  there  was 
an  old  stove,  a  chair  or  two,  and  some  other  odd 
pieces  of  furniture  in  the  house ;  so  I  packed  up  a 
few  necessary  traps  at  the  shanty,  stowed  them 
aboard  pop's  old  boat,  and  came  over  here  by  night. 


34  BUDD  liOTD'S  TRIUMPH 

Here,  too,  I've  remained  in  undisputed  possession 
ever  since." 

"  How  do  you  live  ?"  asked  Budd,  witli  a  good 
deal  of  curiosity. 

"  Oh !  that's  easy  enough,"  said  Judd,  with  a 
laugh.  "  I  catch  fish  and  dig  clams.  Some  I  eat ; 
the  rest  I  sell.  That  enables  me  to  purchase  what 
groceries  and  provisions  I  may  want.  I  was  over  to 
the  village  and  made  some  purchases  early  this 
morning.  By  and  by,  when  the  watering-places 
open  up,  I  can  get  odd  jobs  enough.  I  shall  fare  as 
well  as  I  have  ever  done,  I  assure  you.  I'm  no 
pauper — not  if  I  know  myself.  By  the  way,  won't 
you  have  something  to  eat  ?" 

Without  waiting  for  Budd  to  answer,  he  drew  up 
before  the  fire  a  large  box.  On  this  he  spread  a 
cloth ;  then  he  brought  out  some  cold  ham,  some 
fresh  bread,  butter,  cookies,  poured  out  another  cup 
of  coffee,  and  remarked  : 

"I've  eaten  supper  already,  but  help  yourself. 
There's  more,  when  this  is  gone." 

Budd  accepted  his  host's  hospitality  and  made  out 
a  comfortable  meal. 
'   Then  Judd  said  : 

"  I'm  sorry  I've  no  bed  for  you  to  sleep  on.  That 
old  pallet  is  all  I  brought  over,  but  you  are  welcome 
to  that.  I'll  roll  up  in  a  blanket  and  sleep  on  the 
floor.  It  won't  be  the  first  time  I've  done  it ;"  and 
soon  both  boys  were  sound  asleep. 

The  next  morning  Budd  felt  quite  like  himself ; 
but  the  storm  still  raged,  and  he  was  obliged  to  re- 


^UDD  BOTiD'S  TRIUMPH.  35 

main  quietly  with  his  new  friend.  Toward  noon, 
however,  the  force  of  the  tempest  was  spent,  and 
Judd  announced  his  willingness  to  take  the  anxious 
lad  over  to  the  main-land  after  dinner. 

So  not  far  from  one  o'clock  they  embarked  in 
Judd's  boat,  and  a  half-hour  later  landed  safely  on 
"The  Hummocks."  Budd  could  find  no  trace  of 
either  the  oxen  or  the  missing  wheels  of  the  cart, 
and  with  a  heavy  heart  he  started  off  for  Mr.  Ben- 
ton's. 

As  Judd  parted  with  him  he  remarked : 

"  I  say,  Budd,  I  wouldn't  be  in  your  shoes  for  a 
good  deal.  There  is  no  knowing  what  old  Benton 
will  do  to  you  for  losing  his  cart  and  oxen.  You'd 
better  go  back  to  the  island  with  me,  and  let  him 
think  you  are  dead." 

"  No,"  said  Budd.  "  My  duty  is  to  go  to  him  and 
tell  him  the  whole  story,  let  the  consequences  be 
what  they  may,  and  I  shall  do  it." 

"  I  always  did  admire  pluck,"  replied  Judd,  in  un- 
disguised admiration,  "  and  you  have  it.  I'd  rather 
take  your  sail  of  last  night  than  go  back  and  face 
the  old  tyrant.  Only,  if  he  kicks  you  off  of  the 
farm,  remember  you  are  welcome  to  go  pards  with 
me  on  the  island.  It's  better  than  no  place  to  lay 
your  head." 

Thanking  him  for  the  invitation,  which  he  knew 
was  as  genuine  as  it  was  rough,  Budd  turned  away 
and  walked  slowly  along  the  roadway  leading  to 
Mr.  Benton's,  wondering  greatly  what  that  cruel 
and  grasping  man  would  really  say  and  do  when  he 


U  BUbD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

learned  of  the  serious  loss  he  had  sustained.  Doubt- 
less the  fact  that  he  had  been  so  long  away  had  led 
Mr.  Benton  to  believe  that  he  had  perished.  Would 
not  his  providential  deliverance  from  a  watery 
grave  aw^aken  such  feelings  of  gratitude,  even  in 
that  stony  heart,  that  the  pecuniary  loss  he  had  ex- 
perienced would  be  forgotten  by  the  avaricious  man  ? 
Budd  hoped  so ;  and  yet  it  was  with  terrible  mis- 
givings he  went  bravely  on,  to  meet  whatever  fate 
might  be  in  store  for  him. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  37 


CHAPTER   V. 

MR.  Benton's  wrath. 

AS  BUDD  drew  near  to  the  farm  of  Mr.  Wright 
he  was  greatly  tempted  to  go  in  and  talk  over 
with  him  the  unfortunate  predicament  into  which 
his  adventure  had  brought  him ;  but  he  was  saved 
that  trouble,  for  as  he  got  opposite  that  gentleman's 
residence  he  came  out  and  hailed  the  lad. 

"  Hello,  Budd !"  he  exclaimed.  "  You  have,  then, 
survived  last  night's  storm.  We  are  glad  to  know 
it,  for  we  had  given  you  up  for  lost." 

His  words  re-assured  Budd's  troubled  spirit  some- 
what, for  he  now  knew  that  he  had  been  missed, 
and  possibly  searched  for.  Anxious,  therefore,  to 
know  just  how  his  absence  had  been  regarded,  he 
went  forward  to  meet  Mr.  Wright,  saying : 

"  Yes,  I  pulled  through,  though  at  one  time  I  did 
not  expect  to  do  so.  What  did  you  think  had  be- 
come of  me  and  my  team  ?" 

"  Oh,  when  night  came  and  you  didn't  return 
home,  Benton  thought  you  probably  had  got  shut 
onto  the  lower  hummock  by  the  tide,  and  would  be 
around  all  right  in  a  few  hours,  so  he  said  nothing 
to  any  of  us  about  your  prolonged  absence ;  but  this 
morning,  when  the  oxen  arrived  home  without  you 


38  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

or  the  cart,  he  was  a  little  frightened,  and  came 
directly  over  here  for  me  and  my  man  to  go  with 
him  to  look  you  up.  As  we  went  along  down  to 
'The  Hummocks'  we  made  inquiries  about  you,  but 
could  not  ascertain  that  you  had  been  seen  since  one 
o'clock  yesterday,  when  you  were  on  your  down- 
ward trip  for  seaweed.  Arriving  at  'The  Hum- 
mocks,' we  carefully  searched  them  from  one  end  to 
the  other,  but  found  no  trace  of  you  or  the  cart, 
though  we  came  across  a  sheltered  spot,  back  of  a 
clump  of  trees,  where  the  oxen  had  evidently  staved 
all  night.  The  sea-weed  w^e  saw  had  not  been 
taken,  and  so  we  knew  that  you  hadn't  got  across 
to  the  lower  hummock.  There  was  but  one  infer- 
ence— that  the  wind  and  tide  had  carried  you  out 
to  sea. 

"'Benton,'  says  I, 'the  oxen,  cart  and  lad  were 
all  taken  off  the  roadway  by  some  huge  billow,  and 
the  first  thing  the  lad  thought  of  was  to  free  the 
oxen,  and  they  got  ashore ;  but  the  cart  and  boy 
have  gone  no  one  knows  where.  Just  as  likely  as 
not  they  are  lying  out  there  under  the  tossing 
waves.  I  guess  we'd  better  go  up  the  shore  a  piece, 
however,  and  see  if  we  can  find  anything  of  them.' 
So  we  went  up  the  coast  as  far  as  the  village,  but 
saw  nothing  of  you,  and  could  find  no  one  that  had. 
Finally  we  gave  up  the  search  and  came  home. 
Tell  me,  though,  how  you  escaped  ?" 

Budd  related  in  substance  the  story  already  famil- 
iar to  the  reader — not,  however,  without  frequent 
interruptions  from  Mr.  "Wright,  who  seemed  anxious 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  39 

to  know  more  of  the  details,  and  also  repeatedly  de- 
clared it  was  the  most  marvelous  escape  he  ever 
heard  of.  At  length  Mr.  "Wright  seemed  satisfied, 
and  Budd  was  permitted  to  ask  the  question  he  cared 
most  of  all  to  ask : 

"  How  did  Mr.  Benton  seem  to  feel  when  he  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  I  and  the  cart  had  been  swept 
out  to  sea  ?" 

"  Well,  to  tell  you  the  truth,"  replied  Mr.  Wright, 
bluntlv,  "  he  seemed  to  care  a  good  deal  more  for 
the  loss  of  the  cart  than  he  did  for  you.  He  danced 
around  there  on  the  beach,  cursing  what  he  called 
your  folly,  and  telling  how  much  the  cart  had  cost 
him  only  last  fall.  I  at  last  got  tired  of  his  talking, 
and  told  him  you  were  of  more  account  than  all  the 
carts  that  had  been  made  since  the  world  began,  and 
that  if  he  had  a  spark  of  decency  about 'him  he 
would  shut  his  mouth.  I  suggested,  also,  that  you 
would  never  have  been  lost  if  he  hadn't  set  you  to 
drawing  sea-weed  on  a  day  that  he  was  old  enough 
and  experienced  enough  to  know  it  wasn't  a  safe 
thing  to  do  in  that  particular  locality,  and  that  I 
wasn't  sure  but  he  could  be  held  accountable  to  the 
law  for  your  death.  That  scared  him,  so  he  came 
right  off  home,  and  was  as  dumb  as  a  beast  all  the 
way." 

"What  do  you  think  he'll  do  when  he  finds  I'm 
alive,  but  the  cart  is  lost  ?"  asked  Budd,  a  little  anx- 
iousl}^  it  must  be  confessed. 

"  Well,  he  ought  not  to  say  or  do  anything,"  an- 
swered Mr.  Wright,  with  a  little  show  of  indigna- 


40  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

tion  in  his  tones.  "  The  body  of  the  cart  can  be 
towed  back  to  '  The  Hummocks,'  and  it  is  possible 
that  the  wheels  and  under-gear  may  yet  turn  up. 
But  even  if  they  are  not  recovered,  what  does  the 
loss  amount  to  compared  w  ith  your  safety  'i  Still  I 
have  already  learned  that  you  can  never  know  what 
John  Benton  may  do,  and  I  guess  I  had  better  be 
somewhere  around  when  you  tell  him  your  story. 
Yoft  go  on  over  and  face  the  music,  and  I'll  follow 
along  in  time  to  interfere  if  there  is  any  serious 
trouble  between  you." 

Thanking  Mr.  Wright  for  his  kind  offer,  Budd, 
with  a  much  lighter  heart  than  he  had  had  for 
twenty-four  hours,  went  on  toward  home.  He  went 
directly  into  the  house,  on  arriving  there,  and 
almost  frightened  Mrs.  Benton  to  death  by  his  sud- 
den and  unexpected  appearance.  He  succeeded  in 
convincing  her,  however,  that  it  was  really  he,  and 
that  he  had  providentially  been  saved.  Nor  could 
he  help  noticing  that  she  seemed  greatly  relieved  in 
mind  to  find  that  he  was  really  alive  and  unharmed ; 
and  taking  encouragement  from  that  fact,  he  went 
off  to  the  barn,  where  he  had  learned  Mr.  Benton 
was. 

The  farmer  was  down  upon  his  knees  on  the 
threshing-floor  mending  a  horse-cultivator  when  the 
lad  entered  and  said : 

"  Well,  Mr.  Benton,  I'm  back  at  last,  and  ready 
to  report  for  my  prolonged  absence." 

At  his  words  Mr.  Benton  leaped  to  his  feet,  and 
for  a  moment  seemed  not  to  know  what  to  say.    It 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  4t 

Tvas  very  evident  that  he  had  never  expected  to  see 
the  boy  attain.  Taking  advantage  of  his  embarrass- 
ment, Budd  went  on : 

"  I'm  glad,  too,  to  learn  that  the  oxen  reached 
home  unharmed.  I  did  my  best  to  save  them, 
though  I  nearly  lost  my  own  life  doing  so." 

Before  he  could  say  more  Mr.  Benton  broke 
angrily  in  upon  him  : 

"  But  ye  lost  the  cart,  ye  little  rascal,  an'  I  gin 
twenty-five  dollers  fer  it  at  auction  only  las'  fall ;  an' 
I'd  like  to  know  who's  goin'  to  pay  me  fer  that  ?" 

"  I  can,  if  it  is  necessary,"  replied  Budd,  swelling 
with  indignation  ;  "  but  before  I  do  it  I  shall  want 
some  one  else's  opinion  about  it  other  than  your 
own.  Though  I  may  have  been  a  little  rash  in  un- 
dertaking to  cross  the  roadbed  while  the  tide  was  so 
high,  I  am  in  no  other  sense  to  blame,  and  I  w^ould 
like  to  see  anyone  else  do  better  than  I  did  under 
the  circumstances ;"  and  Budd  rapidly  described  the 
trying  ordeal  through  which  he  had  passed. 

"  Hum  !"  remarked  Mr.  Benton,  sneeringW,  as  the 
lad  finished  his  story.  "  Ye  were  sca't  to  death  at  a 
little  runnin'  water.  If  ye'd  stayed  in  the  cart  an' 
let  the  oxen  alone,  they'd  have  fetched  ye  an'  the 
cart  out  all  rite.     'Twas  all  yer  own  fault." 

Budd's  cheeks  burned  with  resentment. 

"  It  w^as  not,"  he  emphatically  declared. 

"  Don't  ye  tell  me  I  lie !"  said  Mr.  Benton,  sav- 
agely, picking  up  one  of  the  handles  of  the  cultiva- 
tor that  had  been  detached  from  the  machine  and 
lay  upon  the  barn-floor  near  him. 


4^  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRTUMPH. 

"  I  am  sure  the  oxen  would  have  drowned  liad  I 
not  freed  them  from  the  cart,"  answered  Budd, 
firmly,  "  and  any  reasonable  person  would  tell  you 
the  same  thing." 

"Take  that,  ye  young  whelp !"  cried  Mr.  Benton, 
raising  the  cultivator-handle  and  bringing  it  down 
with  a  force  sufficient  to  have  killed  the  boy  had  it 
hit  him. 

Fortunately  for  Budd  he  saw  the  stick  coming, 
and  jumped  quickly  to  one  side.  The  force  of  the 
blow  fell  upon  the  barn-floor ;  but  Mr.  Benton  im- 
mediately recovered  himself  and  rushed  down  upon 
the  lad.  Seeing  that  there  was  no  alternative,  Budd 
grappled  with  him,  and  then  began  a  terrible  strug- 
gle for  the  mastery.  Had  the  lad  possessed  his 
usual  strength  he  might  have  come  off  victor,  for  he 
had  caught  his  antagonist  directly  under  the  arm- 
pits with  a  powerful  hug,  and  thus  had  decidedl}'' 
the  advantage  in  his  hold.  But  he  was  still  weak 
from  his  trying  experience  of  the  night  before,  and 
that  more  than  counterbalanced  the  advantage  he 
had  secured  in  position. 

Up  and  down  the  threshing-floor  the  contestants 
went;  against  stanchion  and  post  and  door  were 
tHey  hurled  ;  over  and  upon  the  heterogeneous  arti- 
cles scattered  about  the  floor  they  stumbled ;  finally 
Budd's  foot  struck  upon  some  unseen  object  that 
rolled  under  it,  and  he  fell  heavily  upon  the  floor, 
with  Mr.  Benton  on  top  of  him.  With  a  shout  of 
triumph  the  angry  man  sat  dow^n  upon  the  lad's 
breast,  and  with  his  clinched  fist  began  to  pound 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  43 

him.  He  had  struck  but  two  blows,  however,  when 
he  was  caught  by  the  collar,  dragged  unceremoni- 
ously off  from  the  prostrate  boy,  and  thrown  with 
no  gentle  hand  back  against  the  nearest  stanchion. 
Then  the  voice  of  Mr.  Wright  was  heard  sternly 
saying : 

"  Stand  there,  you  miserable  coward  ;  and  let  me 
tell  you,  if  you  lay  the  weight  of  your  linger  on  that 
lad  again  I'll  give  you  the  worst  thrashing  you  ever 
had  in  your  life !" 

At  those  words,  Mr.  Benton  cowered  back  against 
the  nearest  mow  and  remained  motionless.  Expe- 
rience had  already  taught  him  that  he  could  not 
trifle  with  Peter  Wright. 

Helping  Budd  to  his  feet,  Mr.  Wright  asked  : 

"  Are  you  hurt  ?  I  was  delayed  longer  at  the 
house  than  I  expected,  or  this  miserable  wretch 
would  not  have  had  a  chance  to  lay  his  hand  upon 
you.     Tell  me  just  what  he  has  done  ?" 

Budd  gave  a  fair  account  of  the  contest  from  be- 
ginning to  end,  and  declared  that  he  was  not  seri- 
ously hurt,  though  he  did  not  know  what  might 
have  happened  but  for  Mr.  Wright's  opportune 
arrival. 

Mr.  Benton  sullenly  admitted  the  truth  of  the 
boy's  story,  but  whiningly  declared  he  had  not 
meant  to  hurt  him,  but  only  to  give  him  a  whole- 
some lesson,  so  that  he  wouldn't  destroy  any  more 
property  for  him  in  such  a  reckless  manner. 

"  I  might  believe  your  statement  had  I  not  caught 
you   in   the  very  act  of  pounding  him,"  said  Mr, 


44  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

"Wright,  with  emphasis;  "and  surely  striking  at 
him  with  one  of  the  handles  of  that  cultivator  looks 
almost  as  though  you  meant  to  kill  him.  This,  too, 
when  he  is  not  your  boy,  nor  bound  out  to  you,  and 
you  had  no  more  right  to  chastise  him  than  you 
have  to  strike  me.^  T  don't  know  whether  the  boy 
has  any  friends  or  not,  but  as  long  as  I  am  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Towm  Council  he  shall  be  regarded  as  a 
ward  of  the  town,  and  over  him  we  shall  throw  our 
protection  and  care.  I  suspect  you  have  imposed 
upon  him  ever  since  he  has  been  with  you.  AYhat 
kind  of  a  bargain  have  you  made  with  him,  anyway  V 

"  I  give  him  ten  dollers  a  munth  an'  bord  for  six 
munths,  which,  as  he  knowed  nuthin'  'bout  farmin' 
when  he  come,  is  fair  pay,"  explained  Mr.  Benton. 

"  No  it  is  not,  and  you  know  it  as  well  as  anyone. 
He  has  done  a  man's  work  ever  since  he  has  been 
with  you ;  and  admitting  his  ignorance  on  some 
things,  fifteen  dollars  a  month  is  little  enough. 
Does  he  pay  you  ?" 

This  last  question  was  addressed  to  Budd. 

"No,  sir,"  he  said.  "You  see,  the  night  I  hired 
out  to  him  he  drew  up  a  paper  for  me  to  sign,  and 
in  that,  though  I  did  not  so  understand  it  at  the 
time,  he  is  to  pay  me  only  at  the  end  of  the  six 
months.  At  least  that  is  his  interpretation  of  the 
paper." 

"  Benton,  let  me  see  it,"  demanded  Mr.  "Wright. 

With  evident  reluctance  Mr.  Benton  took  the 
paper  from  his  pocket-book  and  handed  it  to  his 
neighbor. 


BTiBP  BOYD'S  TRWMPH.  45 

Mr.  Wright  read  it  over  carefully  ;  then  he  delib- 
erateh^  tore  it  up,  saying : 

"The  paper  is  worthless,  for  there  are  no  wit- 
nesses ;  but  even  if  there  were,  it  could  be  set  aside, 
as  you  have  taken  an  unfair  advantage  of  the  lad. 
You  meant  to  get  rid  of  paying  him  anything,  and 
I  suspected  it,  for  it  is  an  old  trick  of  yours." 

Budd  here  explained  how  Mr.  Benton  had  used 
the  paper  at  the  time  he  had  asked  for  his  first 
month's  pay. 

"  Exactly,"  said  Mr.  Wright ;  "  it  served  his  pur- 
pose then,  and  would  every  time  you  asked  for 
money  until  he  had  got  ready  to  get  rid  of  you. 
Then  he  would  have  seen  to  it  that  you  quitted  the 
farm  before  the  six  months  were  up,  and  so  refused 
to  pay  you  your  wages.  Now  admit,  Benton,  that 
that  was  your  game." 

Mr.  Benton,  thus  appealed  to,  looked  sheepish 
enough,  but  would  not  admit  that  it  had  been  his 
purpose  to  defraud  the  lad.  He  was  afraid  that 
Budd  might  demand  the  amount  due  him  and  leave 
at  once.  This  he  did  not  want  the  boy  to  do,  for 
he  preferred  to  have  him  remain,  even  though  he 
should  have  to  pay  him  full  wages.  He  was  hardly 
prepared,  however,  for  Mr.  Wright's  next  demand. 

"  Here,  Benton,"  he  said,  as  the  man  was  about  to 
return  his  wallet  to  his  pocK;et.  "  before  you  put  that 
away  I  want  you  to  pay  Budd  twenty  dollars." 

"  But  his  two  months  are  not  up  yet,"  objected 
Benton. 

"  Never  mind,  he  has  earned  it,"  said  Mr.  Wright ; 


46  6UDD  BOYD'S  TRtUMPS. 

and  as  the  man,  to  Budd's  great  astonishment, 
meekly  handed  over  two  ten-dollar  bills,  Mr.  Wright 
with  a  twinkle  in  his  eyes  added : 

"Now  put  another  ten  along  with  the  others, 
Benton,  for  the  assault  you  have  made  upon  the  lad. 
If  you  don't,  I'll  have  you  arrested  before  morning 
for  assault  and  battery,  and  it  will  cost  you  twice 
that  amount  at  least." 

Mr.  Benton  refused ;  begged  off ;  offered  half  the 
amount ;  but  Mr.  Wright  was  inexorable,  and  the 
miserable  man  finally  handed  Budd  another  ten- 
dollar  bill. 

"Now,"  said  Mr.  Wright  to  Budd,  "go  to  the 
house  and  pack  up  your  things,  and  get  ready  to  go 
with  me.  I  don't  propose  to  leave  you  in  Benton's 
clutches  any  longer ;  there  is  no  knowing  what  he 
might  do  to  you." 

And  notwithstanding  the  pleadings  and  promises 
of  Mr.  Benton,  Mr.  Wright  fifteen  minutes  later  de- 
parted, with  Budd  by  his  side. 


BUDt)  BOTD'S  TUIUMPH.  ii 


CHAPTER  YI. 

THE    NEW    FIRM. 

IF  BUDD,  as  he  walked  along  toward  Mr. 
Wright's,  was  filled  with  secret  exultation  at  the 
happy  turn  in  his  affairs,  it  was,  to  say  the  least, 
pardonable.  Bruised  and  sore  though  he  was  from 
his  struggle  with  Mr.  Benton,  he  had  nevertheless, 
tlirough  the  opportune  interference  of  Mr.  Wright, 
come  off  victor.  With  two  months'  pay  in  his 
pocket,  and  ten  dolhirs  more  for  the  assault  to  which 
he  had  been  subjected,  he  was  not  disposed  to 
grumble ;  in  fact  he  was  quite  ready  to  forgive  the 
miserable  man  who  had  so  ruthlessly  attacked  him. 
But  tliere  was  one  thing  that  piqued  his  curiosity 
and  led  him  soon  to  say : 

"  There  is  something  I  would  like  to  have  you  ex- 
plain, Mr.  Wright." 

"  What  is  it  ?"  Mr.  Wright  asked,  pleasantly. 

"AVhy  was  Mr.  Benton  so  docile  in  your  pres- 
ence ?  I  should  never  have  believed  that  he  would 
have  cowered  down  so  to  any  man." 

Mr.  Wright  laughed. 

"  There  are  several  reasons  for  it,"  he  said.  "  Ty- 
rants  are  almost  always  cowards  at  heart,  and  Mr. 
Benton  is  no  exception  to  the  rule.     Ten  years  ago, 


•■^^ftp- 


is  J3Ul)I)  BOYD'S  Till iJ MPS. 

when  I  came  here,  I  was  continually  in  trouble  with 
him.  First  it  was  my  cattle  ;  then  my  children  ;  at 
last  our  boundary  line.  I  caught  him  one  day  act- 
ually setting  over  my  fence.  I  remonstrated  with 
him,  and  he,  in  his  anger,  struck  me  with  his  ox-lash. 
Snatching  it  from  his  hand,  I  whipped  him  until  he 
begged  for  mercy.  Of  course  he  brought  suit 
against  me,  and  I  brought  a  counter-suit.  I  was  for- 
tunate enough  to  win  both  cases,  and  the  costs  and 
fines  that  he  had  to  pay  amounted  to  over  one  hun- 
dred dollars.  I  also  had  him  put  under  heavy  bonds 
to  keep  the  peace,  and  from  that  time  have  had  no 
serious  trouble  with  him.  In  fact  he  seems  to  both 
fear  and  respect  rae.  Catching  him  to-night  in  the 
very  act  of  assaulting  you  gave  me  a  decided  advan- 
tage ;  and  though  I  have  doubtless  gone  beyond  any 
real  right  I  possessed  in  my  dealing  with  him,  he 
was  not  in  a  condition  to  dispute  it.  You  and  I  will 
have  no  further  trouble  with  him." 

But  in  this  last  assertion  Mr.  Wright  was  wrong, 
at  least  so  far  as  Budd  was  concerned. 

On  reaching  the  house,  Mr.  Wright  opened  the 
door  and  motioned  Budd  to  enter,  at  the  same  time 
feaying  to  his  wife : 

"  Here,  Sarah,  can  you  find  a  place  for  this  lad  for 
awhile  ?  I've  taken  him  out  of  Benton's  clutches," 
and  he  related  to  her,  in  substance,  the  happenings 
at  his  neighbor's  farm. 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  think  so,"  the  lady  replied,  giving 
Budd  a  hearty  and  motherly  welcome,  which  at 
once  caused  him  to  feel  at  home. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRItJMPS.  49 

Budd  was  shown  to  a  chamber,  where  he  depos- 
ited his  bundle.  Though  no  larger  than  the  one  he 
had  occupied  when  at  Mr.  Benton's,  and  containing 
scarcely  more  furniture,  there  was  nevertheless  an 
air  of  comfort  and  neatness  about  it  that  awakened 
old  and  sweet  memories  in  the  boy's  mind.  A  bright 
bit  of  carpet  was  on  the  floor,  a  Avhite  curtain  was 
at  the  open  window,  while  snowy  sheets  and  pillow- 
cases upon  the  bed  suggested  sweet  repose.  Tears 
stood  in  the  lad's  eyes  as  he  returned  down-stairs 
and  tried  to  again  thank  Mr.  Wright  for  the  deep 
interest  he  had  shown  in  him,  an  entire  stranger. 

"Weil,  well,"  said  Mr.  Wright,  not  without  some 
emotion ;  "  I  don't  know  as  I  deserve  any  special 
thanks  for  what  I  have  done.  I  couldn't  leave  you 
over  there  and  have  any  peace  of  conscience.  I 
don't  know,  any  more  than  you  do,  what  the  out- 
come of  my  act  will  be,  so  far  as  your  future  is  con- 
cerned. I  would  gladly  hire  you,  but  have  now  all 
the  help  I  need.  You  are  welcome,  however,  to 
stay  here  until  you  can  find  a  place.  With  what 
Benton  has  given  you,  you  will  be  just  as  well  off 
should  you  not  get  work  under  a  month.  I've  no 
fear  but  what  you'll  do  enough  to  pay  your  board, 
and  we  will  both  keep  an  eye  out  for  something 
suitable  for  you  to  do." 

Though  Budd  regretted  greatly  that  Mr.  Wright 
could  not  hire  him,  he  gratefully  accepted  the  ar- 
rangement proposed,  and  determined  that  his  bene- 
factor should  have  no  cause  to  complain  of  either 
•  his  want  of  gratitude  or  willingness  to  be  of  help. 


50  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

With  this  idea  in  mind  he  followed  Mr.  "Wright 
out  to  the  barn,  and  helped  him  and  his  man  do  the 
chores.  He  seemed  almost  intuitively  to  know 
what  was  the  next  thing  to  be  done;  and  so  pleased 
was  Mr.  Wright  with  his  readiness  and  tact  that  he 
confided  to  his  wife,  that  night,  that  he  didn't  know 
but  they  had  better  try  and  keep  the  lad.  The  very 
next  day,  however,  there  was  destined  to  come  to 
Budd  an  opening  which  was  to  change  measurably 
his  life,  and  prove  an  important  link  in  the  solution 
of  the  mystery  which  was  apparently  hanging  over 
him. 

He  worked  all  the  forenoon  of  the  next  day  for 
Mr.  Wright,  but  at  that  gentleman's  request  went 
with  him  in  the  afternoon  up  to  the  village. 

"  Perhaps  we  shall  be  able  to  find  some  place  for 
you,"  Mr.  Wright  had  said  as  the}'^  drove  off. 

Reaching  the  village,  Mr.  Wright  left  Budd  to 
look  out  for  the  team  while  he  attended  to  some 
matters  of  business.  As  the  lad  sat  in  the  wagon 
holding  the  horses  Judd  Floyd  came  hurriedly  down 
the  street  on  his  way  toward  the  wharf.  He  had  a 
market-basket  on  his  arm  filled  with  bundles,  and 
had  evidently  been  purchasing  provisions  to  take 
over  to  his  island  home.  He  readily  espied  Budd, 
and  recognizing  Mr.  Wright's  team,  suddenly 
stopped,  remarking : 

"Hello!  changed  masters,  have  you?  Shows 
your  wisdom.     But  tell  us  about  it." 

Budd  shook  the  speaker's  extended  hand  warmly, 
and  telling  him  to  put  his  basket  into  the  wagon^ 


^UDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  5I 

and  to  get  up  on  the  seat,  he  gave  him  a  faithful  ac- 
count of  himself  from  the  time  he  had  left  Judd  on 
"The  Hummocks"  until  he  had  now  met  him 
again. 

"  So  you  are  out  of  a  job,"  he  remarked,  as  Budd 
concluded.  "  Now,  isn't  that  jolly !  You  can  come 
over  to  the  island  with  me,  and  we'll  go  into  the 
fish  and  clam  business  together.  I'll  guarantee  as 
good  wages  as  you  were  getting,  and  you'll  be  your 
own  boss  at  the  same  time." 

"  Is  that  so  ?"  asked  Budd,  with  some  show  of  in- 
terest. 

"  Of  course  it's  so,"  replied  Judd,  with  remarkable 
emphasis  on  the  first  two  words.  "  I've  averaged 
fifty  cents  for  every  day  I've  been  on  the  island ; 
and  so  can  you,  if  you'll  come.  We  ought  to  do 
better,  for  with  two  we  can  enlarge  our  business 
many  ways." 

"How's  that?"  asked  Budd. 

Before  Judd  could  answer,  Mr.  "Wright  came  back 
to  the  wagon.  That  lad  eyed  him  a  little  apprehen- 
sively at  first,  evidently  fearing  lest  he  might,  as  a 
member  of  the  Town  Board,  call  him  to  an  account 
for  his  sudden  disappearance  from  the  shanty  near 
the  village  a  few  days  before.  But  Mr.  Wright's 
•  words  at  once  re-assured  him,  for  he  said : 

"  How  do  you  do,  Judd  ?  I'm  glad  to  see  you,  and 
to  hear  so  good  an  account  of  jon  as  Budd  has  given 
me."  Then  lowering  his  voice,  so  as  not  to  be  heard 
by  anyone  passing,  he  added :  "  You  need  have  no 
fear  of  the  Town  Board,  my  lad,  as  long  as  you 


6^  M^i)D  BOYD' 8  TrWmPM. 

show  a  disposition  to  be  industrious  and  take  care  of 
yourself.     We  wish  you  every  success." 

"  He  was  just  asking  me  to  go  over  to  the  island 
and  enter  into  partnership  with  him,"  explained 
Budd ;  "  he  says  I  can  make  as  much  as  I  was  get- 
ting from  Mr.  Benton." 

"And  not  have  half  as  rough  an  experience," 
Judd  chimed  in,  with  a  laugh. 

"How  do  you  expect  to  make  it,  Judd?"  Mr. 
Wright  asked,  a  little  doubtingly. 

"  Selling  fish  and  clams ;  taking  out  fishing-parties ; 
doing  odd  jobs  at  the  watering-places,"  answered 
Judd,  pithily.     "  There's  money  in  it." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?"  asked  Budd  of  Mr.  Wright. 

"  There  may  be,"  he  answered,  musingly.  "  Judd 
knows  better  than  I  do.  Of  course  it  is  now  a  little 
late  to  hire  out  among  the  farmers.  You  have 
some  money  as  capital.  I'm  not  sure  but  yow.  could, 
if  prudent  and  industrious,  do  as  well  at  this  as  at 
anything  else  for  the  summer  months." 

"  Come  along  over  to  the  island  with  me  and  stay 
to-night.  If  I  don't  convince  you  this  thing  is  prac- 
ticable, then  I'll  set  you  ashore  at  '  The  Hummocks' 
in  the  morning,  and  you  can  go  back  to  Mr.  Wright's 
until  you  find  another  job,"  said  Judd,  enthusiastic- 
ally. 

Mr.  Wright  laughed  a  little. 

"Go  on,  Budd,"  he  advised ;  "and  if  I  can  be  of 
an}^  help  to  either  of  you,  call  on  me.  All  success 
to  the  new  firm !" 

Budd  immediately  leaped  from  the  wagon,  fol- 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  53 

lowed  by  Judd,  and  then  the  two  boys  went  hastily 
down  to  the  wharf  where  their  boat  was  tied.  Em- 
barking therein,  each  took  an  oar  and  pulled  for  the 
island,  their  minds  brimful  of  the  prospective  part- 
nership. 

It  was  not,  however,  until  the  island  was  reached 
and  supper  eaten  that  the  lads  settled  themselves 
for  what  they  called  their  "  business "  talk.  Tlie 
sun  Avas  just  setting ;  the  air  was  soft  and  balmy ; 
scarcely  a  ripple  was  on  the  water.  Taking  seats 
upon  the  rocks  south  of  the  house,  and  where  they 
could  look  for  miles  down  the  bay,  they  began  the 
all-important  conversation. 

Budd  was  the  fiist  to  speak. 

"  Here,  Judd,"  he  said,  "  let  us  begin  at  the  very 
root  of  things.     Who  does  this  island  belong  to  ?" 

"  Why,  I  believe  there  are  two  or  three  parties 
claiming  it,"  replied  Judd.  "But  why  do  you  ask? 
It  has  always  been  regarded  as  common  property. 
Even  the  fellow  that  built  the  house  here  paid  no 
rent  for  the  island." 

"  That  has  nothing  to  do  with  our  case,"  inter- 
posed Budd,  promptly.  "  We  must  have  a  right  to 
be  here — a  right  we  can  defend  against  all  comers. 
Who  are  the  proper  parties  to  see  about  leasing  the 
island." 

"  A  Mr.  Fowler,  who  lives  near  Mr.  Wright,  and 
two  men  named  Scott,  over  in  the  western  part  of 
the  town;  but  I  don't  believe  the}''  will  object  to  our 
staying  here,  if  Mr.  Wright  will  see  them  about  it." 

^'  yf^  will  find  out  in  the  morning,"  5udd  said,  de' 


54  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

cisively,  "  and  I'll  mark  that  as  the  first  item  of  busi- 
ness to  attend  to.  Now  as  to  our  stock  in  trade.  I 
have  thirty  dollars  that  can  go  in  as  my  part  of  the 
capital.     What  can  you  furnish  ?" 

Judd  looked  a  little  crestfallen,  at  his  companion's 
words. 

"  Why,"  he  said,  "  I  can't  put  in  much.  I  have 
the  boat " 

"  Which  is  worth  how  much  ?"  interrupted  Budd. 

"  Perhaps  ten  dollars,"  replied  his  partner,  with  a 
look  of  encouragement.  "It's  a  pretty  good  yawl; 
and  then  I  have  a  little  over  five  dollars  in  money  ; 
that  is  all." 

"  No,  it  is  not,"  Budd  said.  "  How  about  the 
things  over  at  the  shanty?  They  are  yours,  are 
they  not  ?" 

"  Yes ;  and  as  the  shanty  don't  belong  to  pop, 
they  ought  to  be  moved.  If  we  get  the  island,  we 
can  bring  everything  over  here,  and  set  up  house- 
keeping in  pretty  decent  style." 

"  Exactly,"  went  on  Budd,  smilingly  ;  "  and  vrhile 
they  are  yours,  I  shall  be  having  the  benefit  of  them, 
and  that  is  worth  considerable.  But  there  is  one 
thing  you  possess  more  valuable  yet,  and  for  which 
you  ought  to  have  full  allowance." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?"  asked  Judd,  in  wonder. 

"Knowledge  of  the  business,"  responded  Budd. 
"  I  can  row  or  sail  a  boat — have  been  used  to  that 
all  my  life ;  but  I  know  nothing  of  this  bay,  its  fish- 
ing or  clamraing-grounds,  and  I  am  almost  a  stran- 
ger in  the  community,  while  you  are  well  known. 


BhDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  55 

Kow,  I'll  tell  you  what  I'm  willing  to  do,  though  to 
my  mind  I  shall  have  the  best  of  the  bargain.  I'll 
put  in  my  thirty  dollars  against  your  boat,  your 
household  goods,  and  your  fuller  knowledge  of  the 
grounds  on  which  we  are  to  operate,  and  we'U  be 
equal  partners — provided,  of  course,  we  can  hire  the 
island.     What  do  you  say  ?" 

Judd  arose  from  his  seat  with  a  sparkling  face 
and  crossed  over  to  where  his  chum  was  sitting. 

"  Here's  my  hand  on  it ;  and  I  say,  Budd,  you  are 
a  brick,"  was  his  rather  ambiguous  but  expressive 
answer. 

Budd  had  caught  something  of  his  companion's  en- 
thusiasm, and  with  intense  eagerness  he  continued : 

""  Xow  as  to  our  plan  of  operations.  In  this  you 
must  be  the  chief  adviser." 

"  Thirty-five  dollars  in  money  as  a  basis,"  said 
Judd,  slowly,  "  If  we  only  had  a  hundred,  I  would 
say  invest  in  a  fish-pound.  As  it  is,  we  will  have  to 
content  ourselves  with  smaller  operations  at  first. 
A  gill-net  would  work  nicely  over  in  '  the  narrows ' 
at  the  south  of  '  The  Hummocks,'  and  would  cost 
about  eight  dollars.    We  must  have  that." 

"  How  do  you  work  it  ?"  inquired  Budd. 

"  It  has  large  meshes,  and  you  can  stretch  it  right 
across  '  the  narrows,'  fastening  it  to  stakes  on  either 
side  so  as  to  keep  it  upright.  The  leads  on  the 
lower  edge  keep  that  down  to  the  bottom.  We  will 
set  it  at  night  just  at  the  turning  of  the  tide  to  go 
out :  then  whatever  fi«h  are  up  the  cove  will  come 
^own  against  it,  and  more  or  less  of  them  will  get 


56  BUDD  BOYD'S  TEIUMPH. 

their  heads  through  the  meshes  and  be  caught.  Six 
hours  after,  the  tide  will  tarn,  and  all  fish  going 
into  the  cove  will  come  up  against  the  opposite  side, 
and  some  of  them  will  be  caught.  In  the  morning 
we  will  pull  it,  and  leave  it  up  until  the  next  night. 
We  ought  to  get  as  many  fish  that  way  as  we  can 
with  our  hooks — perhaps  more ;  and  thus  we  will 
have  a  double  quantity  to  dispose  of,"  exclaimed 
Judd- 

"  Good !"  exclaimed  his  comrade.     "  What  next  ?" 

"We  must  put  in  some  lobster-pots  also;  but 
those  we  can  make,  and  two  dollars  will  buy  all  the 
necessary  lumber.  That  will  take  ten  dollars,  and 
leave  us  twenty-fiv^e.  With  that  we  must  buy  the 
sloop  Sea  Witch,  and  then  we  can  take  out  sailing 
or  fishing-parties  in  good  shape,  as  well  as  make  the 
wind  do  a  large  part  of  our  work  for  us.  It  will 
save  lots  of  time  and  labor,  as  well  as  add  to  our 
revenue." 

"  It  can't  be  much  of  a  boat  for  that  money,"  re- 
marked Budd. 

"  You  wouldn't  say  so,  if  you  had  seen  her,"  de- 
clared Judd.  "  She  is  eighteen  feet  long,  has  a 
small  cabin,  is  rigged  with  sail  and  jib,  and  cost  just 
seventy-five  dollars  last  summer.  She  belongs  to  a 
rich  man  who  spent  the  summer  here  a  year  ago. 
He  had  her  built  for  his  son,  who  knew  no  more 
about  a  boat  than  a  two-year-old  child.  He  cap- 
sized her  one  day,  and  nearlylost  his  life,  and  now 
she  is  for  sale.  Nothing  is  the  matter  with  her,  ex- 
cept she  carries  too  much  canvas.     Cut  off  a  foot  of 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  QTt 

her  mast,  trim  down  her  sail  and  jib,  ballast  her  a 
little  more  heavily,  and  I'll  warrant  her  to  outsail 
anything  of  her  length  about  here,  and  to  be  a  good 
boat  in  a  heavy  sea  also.  I've  examined  her  a  dozen 
times,  and  talked  with  the  man  that  made  her.  He'll 
tell  3'ou  that  it's  just  as  I  say.  Of  course  her  mis- 
fortune has  prejudiced  people  against  her,  and  that 
is  why  she  can  be  bought  so  low.  Once  get  her 
fixed,  and  we  can  sail  her  under  a  reef  until  we  have 
earned  the  money  to  pay  for  the  alterations.  I 
wouldn't  take  a  dollar  less  for  her  than  she  origi- 
nally cost." 

"  All  right !  I'm  ready  to  accept  your  judgment, 
and  we  certainly  will  be  equipped  better  than  I  ex- 
pected," remarked  Budd. 

"  Then  we  must  advertise  our  new  firm  and  busi- 
ness by  posters  and  in  the  local  paper.  I  guess  the 
printer  will  do  the  work  for  us  and  take  his  pay  in 
trade,  for  I've  sold  him  fish  several  times,"  went  on 
Judd. 

"  Yes,  we  must  do  that,"  admitted  his  partner ; 
"  and  we'll  draw  up  our  advertisement  to-night.  In 
the  morning  you  can  set  me  over  onto  '  The  Hum- 
mocks,' and  I  will  go  up  to  Mr.  Wright's,  and  con- 
sult with  him  about  the  hiring  of  the  island  and  get 
my  things.  I'll  join  you  in  the  village,  where  you 
can  await  my  coming ;  and  if  we  are  successful  in 
getting  the  island,  we  will  make  the  other  purchases, 
and  by  night  be  in  readiness  to  begin  moving  your 
goods  over  here.  By  Monday  next  we  ca^  be  all 
ecjuipped  for  business," 


58  BUDD  BOYD'S  TBIUMPE. 

"  Let  us  keep  together  through  all  the  arrange- 
ments," suggested  Judd. 

"  Very  well,"  consented  Budd  ;  and  they  returned 
to  the  house  for  the  night. 

Early  the  next  morning  the  young  partners  set 
out  upon  the  various  business  enterprises  necessary 
to  complete  their  arrangements.  Mr.  Wright  will- 
ingly went  with  them  to  see  the  owners  of  the 
island,  and  they  secured  it  at  a  rental  of  two  dollars 
per  month,  and  took  a  written  lease  to  that  effect. 
The  sailboat,  lumber  and  gill-net  were  purchased  in 
rapid  succession,  and  the  matter  of  advertising 
placed  in  the  printer's  hands.  The  next  day  the 
household  articles  were  removed  from  the  shanty  to 
the  island  and  arranged  in  the  house.  Onl}'^  the 
three  rooms  on  the  ground  floor  were  needed  by  the 
lads,  and  were  settled  as  kitchen,  sitting-room  and 
bedroom.  That  day,  also,  posters  were  scattered 
about  the  village,  and  an  advertisement  appeared  in 
the  columns  of  the  village  weekly,  as  follows : 

NEW  FIRM!    NEW  FIRM! 

BOYD    &    FLOYD. 

We,  the  undersigned,  would  announce  to  the 
citizens  of  this  community  that  Ave  have  this  day 
formed  a  partnership,  to  be  known  as  Boyd  &  Floyd. 
Our  headquarters  will  be  at  Fox  Island,  which  we 
have  rented  of  the  owners.  We  shall  have  fish, 
oysters,  clams,  lobsters  and  scallops  for  sale,  each  in 
their  season.  On  Tuesdays  and  Fridays  of  each 
week  we  shall  be  in  the  surrounding  villages,  ready 
to  fill  all  orders  in  our  line.     On  the  other  days  of 


BUBB  BOTD'8  TRIUMPH.  59 

the  week  all  orders  dropped  in  the  village  post-of- 
fice, Box  118,  will  secure  prompt  attention.  Hotels 
and  boarding-houses  will  be  supplied  at  wholesale 
rates.  Sailing  or  fishing-parties  will  be  taken  out 
in  our  sloop  Sea  Witch  at  reasonable  prices.  This 
boat  is  to  be  remodeled,  and  made  sea-worthy  in 
every  respect.  By  honest  dealing,  fair  charf^es,  and 
prompt  attention,  we  hope  to  secure  our  share  of 
your  patronage.  Budd  Boyd. 

JUDD   i'LOYD. 

Fox  Island,  May  20,  18—. 

It  was  late  on  Saturday  evening  when  the  lads 
got  back  to  the  island  after  carrying  around  their 
posters.  They  w'ere  very  tired  from  their  long 
tramp  of  the  day  and  the  other  work  their  plans 
had  necessitated ;  but  they  were  contented,  for  they 
felt  that  their  firm  was  'now  fully  organized  and 
launched  out  upon  the  world. 


60  BUDD  BOYD'S  TEIUMPH. 


CHAPTER  YII. 

BUSINESS   BOOMS. 

THE  CRY,  "Wake  up,  Budd!  All  hands 
ahoy!"  greeted  Budd's  ears  early  Monday 
morning.     He  opened  his  eyes  at  the  command. 

The  sun  had  not  yet  risen.  The  faint  light  of 
early  dawn  was  coming  in  through  the  last  window 
of  the  room,  Judd  was  out  of  bed  and  busily  dress- 
ing, and  he  it  w^as  who  had  given  the  call.  The 
next  moment  Budd  was  beside  him,  and  they 
chatted  away  like  magpies  as  they  completed  their 
dressing.  The  Avhole  outline  for  the  day's  work 
was  soon  laid  out.. 

"  It  will  be  low  tide  at  nine  o'clock,  and  w^e  must 
have  breakfast  eaten  and  be  on  our  clamming- 
grounds  at  least  two  hours  before  that,"  Judd  said, 
by  way  of  beginning  the  conversation. 

"  And  where  is  it  you  said  we  would  go  ?"  Budd 
responded. 

"  Down  the  bay  to  the  upper  end  of  Plum  Beach 
Point,"  was  the  answer.  "  There  hasn't  been  much 
digging  there  this  season,  and  we  ought  to  find 
clams  plenty  and  of  good  size.  We'll  dig  there  un- 
til the  turn  of  the  tide ;  then  w^e'U  go  across  the 
bay,  under  the  lee  of  Conanicut,  where  there  is  a 


^UDD  BOYD'S  Triumph.  el 

sunken  ledge,  ojff  which,  if  I'm  not  much  mistaken, 
I'll  show  you  as  good  fishing  as  you  ever  enjoyed,'' 

"  What'll  we  be  likely  to  catch  ?"  Budd  then  in- 
quired, just  as  they  both  entered  the  kitchen  and  be- 
gan preparations  for  breakfast. 

"Rock-bass,  tautog,  and  the  everywhere-present 
and  forever-biting  sea-perch,"  Judd  laughingly  an- 
swered. 

"  What  about  the  gill-net  ?" 

"  Oh,  we'll  put  that  in  just  at  night,  and  get  an- 
other run  of  fish  entirely  different.  Scup,  butter- 
fish,  and  succoteague,  or  weak-fish,  will  probably  be 
the  principal  kinds  we  shall  haul  then.  That  will 
give  us  quite  a  variety  for  our  sale  to-morrow,"  ex- 
plained Judd. 

Breakfast  was  eaten,  a  lunch  packed,  and  lines, 
baskets  and  hoes  stowed  on  board  the  sloop  by  sun- 
rise. In  fact  the  golden  orb  peeped  above  Conani- 
cut,  and  sent  a  dazzling  gleam  down  across  the 
dancing  waters,  just  as  the  lads  weighed  anchor, 
hoisted  the  sails,  and  with  a  gentle  breeze  from  the 
northwest  started  down  the  bay.  A  half-hour  later 
they  had  run  within  fifty  yards  of  Plum  Beach 
Point,  where  they  anchored.  Putting  baskets  and 
hoes  in  the  yawl,  which  was  in  tow,  they  cast  off 
the  painter  and  rowed  ashore.  The  tide  was  well 
out.  Under  the  click  of  the  hoes  the  clams  sent  up 
their  tiny  spouts  of  water,  revealing  their  hiding- 
places  ;  and,  throwing  off  their  coats,  the  boys  were 
soon  at  work. 

For  over  two  hours  they,  toiled  without  interrup- 


62  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRttlMPU. 

tion ;  then  Judd,  who  had  heen  watching  the  waves 
for  an  instant,  cried  out : 

"  Hold  up,  Budd  !  The  tide  has  turned,  and  we 
must  be  off  for  our  fishing-grounds.  First,  however, 
we  will  wash  and  sort  over  these  bivalves — the  large 
and  sound  ones  for  the  trade,  the  small  and  broken 
ones  for  bait.     Here  goes !" 

Suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  he  emptied  his 
basket  in  a  shallow  pool  close  beside  him. 

Budd  followed  his  example,  and  with  many  an  ex- 
clamation of  delight  at  the  quantity  they  had  ob- 
tained, the  lads  soon  completed  this  work,  and 
entering  the  yawl  pulled  back  to  the  sloop.  Ten 
minutes  later  she  was  tacking  across  the  bay  for  the 
fishing-grounds,  known  as  "Hazard's  pork-barrel." 

Budd  soon  found  that  his  comrade  had  not  over- 
estimated the  piscatorial  possibilities  of  the  place. 
Scarcely  were  their  baited  hooks  cast  into  the  briny 
deep  when  the  fish  began  to  bite  with  a  steadiness 
and  greed  that  would  have  delighted  the  most  am- 
bitious angler.  For  three  hours  this  continued,  then 
suddenly  all  the  biting  ceased. 

"  Our  luck  is  over  for  to-day,"  Judd  announced, 
pulling  in  his  lines.  "We  may  as  well  weigh  anchor 
and  start  for  home," 

"  We  have  done  well,  anyway,"  Budd  said,  with 
a  touch  of  pride,  as  he  gazed  at  the  fish  they  had 
caught. 

"  We  needn't  be  ashamed  of  the  morning's  work," 
put  in  his  partner,  laconically.  "  We'll  find  a  great 
many  mornings  when  we  won't  do  as  well," 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  6^ 

The  fisli  had  been  thrown,  as  they  were  caught, 
into  a  sort  of  "  well "  that  Judd  had  arranged  in  the 
bow  of  the  sloop  for  them,  and  the  boys  did  not 
overhaul  theni  until  they  had  reached  the  island. 
Here,  however,  they  were  sorted  and  put  into 
"  cars  "  that  were  anchored  just  off  the  wharf. 

"  Twenty  tautog,  a  dozen  rock-bass  and  three  doz- 
en sea-perch  make  quite  a  showing,"  commented 
Budd  as  the  sorting  was  finished.  "  Do  you  suppose 
we  will  sell  all  of  them  ?" 

"  Not  any  of  the  sea-perch,"  replied  Judd.  "  Some 
of  those  we  must  eat  ourselves.  There  are  several 
ways  too  cook  them,  and  you  won't  find  them  bad 
eating.  We  shall  want  the  rest  of  them  as  bait  for 
our  lobster-pots.  All  the  other  fish  will  sell,  how- 
ever, without  trouble." 

The  lads  had  eaten  their  luncheon  while  sailing 
homeward,  but  their  appetites  were  only  partially 
appeased,  and  so  they  immediately  set  about  pre- 
parmg  what  they  called  their  "  chief "  meal.  The 
fire  was  kindled,  and  a  large  kettle  partly  filled  with 
water  fresh  from  the  well  was  put  over  it.  Then  a 
dozen  of  the  larger  perch  were  dressed,  cut  into 
small  pieces,  and  put  into  the  kettle  just  as  the 
water  reached  a  boiling-point;  some  potatoes,  nicely 
])eeled  and  sliced,  vrere  now  added  ;  and  salt,  pepper, 
a  few  slices  of  salt  pork,  and  an  onion  or  two,  for 
seasoning,  followed,  and  soon  the  delightful  aroma 
of  a  fish-chowder  began  to  fill  the  kitchen.  "While 
that  was  cooking  the  table  was  set,  the  johnny-cake 
baked,  and  the  coffee  made.     In  a  little  over  an 


64  istJDD  ^OTD'8  TRiijMPit 

hour  after  landing  the  boys  had  everything  in  readi- 
ness, and  sat  down  to  a  dinner  that,  as  they  ex- 
pressed it,  was  "fit  for  a  king."  Good  appetites 
made  it  indeed  a  royal  feast,  and  scarcely  a  vestige 
of  the  chowder  remained  when  the  lads  rose  from 
the  table. 

An  hour  or  two  of  rest  followed  the  clearing  of 
the  table,  but  just  about  six  o'clock  the  partners  put 
the  gill-net  into  the  yawl  and  pulled  over  to  "  the 
narrows,"  at  the  south  of  "  The  Hummocks."  Be- 
fore dark  the  net  was  stretched  into  place,  made 
secure  to  stout  stakes,  and  the  boys  were  ready  to 
return  home. 

"  The  tide  is  nearly  out  now,"  remarked  Judd  as 
they  were  leaving,  "  and  so  our  best  catch  to-night 
will  be  on  the  incoming  tide.  To  get  the  full  ad- 
vantage of  this  place,  we  want  first  an  outgoing, 
then  an  incoming  tide  upon  the  net ;  but  of  course 
we  have  got  to  run  our  chances  on  that." 

When  back  at  the  island,  the  day's  work  for  the 
lads  was  by  no  means  done.  During  the  evening 
the  kitchen  was  turned  into  a  workshop,  and  with 
an  old  lobster-pot  for  a  pattern,  the  partners  began 
the  manufacture  of  their  new  ones.  Four  of  these 
were  completely  finished  before  they  went  to  bed, 
and  Judd  expressed  his  satisfaction  in  the  words : 

"  Four  pots  already  done ;  and  if,  to-morrow 
night,  we  can  finish  four  more,  we  shall  hav^e  eight 
to  put  in  on  Wednesday  morning,  which  will  doubt- 
less furnish  us  with  some  lobsters  for  our  Friday 
trade." 


BtTDD  BOYD'S  TUTUMPB.  65 

At  the  pulling  of  the  gill-net  the  next  morning 
there  was  not  as  large  a  catbh  as  the  boys  had  hoped 
for ;  still  what  fish  they  did  get  were  of  good  size 
and  of  the  very  best  quality.  There  were  six  suc- 
coteague,  weighing  from  two  to  four  pounds  each, 
one  blue-fish,  four  scup  and  a  striped  bass. 

Eeturning  to  the  island  for  their  other  fish  and 
the  clams,  the  lads'  ]ilans  for  the  day  were  speedily 
arranged.  Budd  was  to  take  the  j^awl  and  a  minor 
part  of  the  stock  in  trade,  and  landing  at  "  The 
Hummocks,"  was  to  secure,  if  possible,  a  horse  and 
wagon  of  the  nearest  farmer,  and  peddle  through 
the  manufacturing  villages  in  the  western  part  of 
the  county,  while  Judd  was  to  take  the  larger  part 
of  the  stock  into  the  sloop  and  go  up  to  the  large 
town,  a  mile  and  a  half  up  the  bay.  Each  lad  had 
provided  himself  with  a  note-book  to  take  orders 
for  their  Friday  trade ;  and  wishing  each  other  the 
best  of  success,  they  went  their  different  ways. 

Judd  was  the  first  to  return  to  the  island, arriving' 
there  about  two  o'clock  with  nearly  all  of  his  stock 
disposed  of,  and  three  dollars  and  twenty  cents  in 
cash  in  his  pocket.  Budd  arrived  an  hour  later, 
having  sold  everything  he  had  carried,  but  had  only 
two  dollars  and  ten  cents  to  show  for  his  sales,  as 
he  had  paid  the  farmer  a  dollar  for  the  use  of  his 
horse  and  wagon. 

Five  dollars  and  a  half  was  not,  however,  a  bad 
showing  for  their  first  day's  sale ;  and  greatly  en- 
couraged by  the  outlook,  the  boys  discussed  further 
plans  for  the  increase  of  their  business. 


66  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

The  rest  of  the  week  was  given  to  hard  work.  In 
no  sense  could  it  be  said  the  lads  were  idle.  Neither 
one  thought  of  making  their  undertaking  a  mere 
pleasure;  it  was  their  business,  and  as  such  must 
have  their  best  thought  and  their  hardest  labor. 
They  took  pride  not  only  in  success,  but  it  must  be 
the  very  hest  success  they  could  possibly  achieve. 

The  eight  lobster-pots  were  put  down  Wednesday 
morning  just  off  Thurston's  Rocks,  three  miles  down 
the  bay.  Each  night  saw  a  few  more  made,  and 
each  day  a  few  more  put  down,  until  there  was  a 
string  of  the  tiny  buoys  marking  their  whereabouts 
for  two  miles  along  the  coast.  Fish  were  angled 
for  and  clams  were  dug ;  and  when  one  place  failed 
others  were  visited,  until  the  due  quota  of  each  had 
been  secured.  The  gill-net  was  hauled  and  reset 
with  all  the  regularity  of  the  rising  and  setting  sun. 
On  Friday  morning  the  persistent  efforts  of  the  lads 
had  been  fairly  rewarded,  and  with  double  the 
amount  of  stock  they  had  had  on  the  previous 
Tuesday  they  set  out,  each  to  go  his  chosen  route. 
But  the  demand  equaled  the  supply,  and  both  boys 
returned  to  the  island  without  fish  or  bivah^e. 

The  firm  had  agreed  that  Saturday  should  be 
their  home  day — the  day  they  repaired  their  net, 
and  traps,  and  pots,  overhauled  and  fixed  their 
boats,  and  attended  to  such  other  work  as  was 
necessary  to  keep  their  island  and  house  in  thorough 
order.  On  that  night,  too,  they  were  to  cast  up 
accounts  for  each  week,  and  find  their  financial 
standing. 


BUDD  BO  TBS  TRIUMPH.  et 

The  partners  sat  in  their  little  sitting-room  when 
this  first  casting  was  made  and  tlie  result  of  the 
Aveek  announced  : 

"  Twelve  dollars  and  fifty-two  cents  above  all  ex- 
penses," declared  Budd,  who  had  been  appointed 
the  book-keeper  for  the  firm. 

"  Not  a  bad  amount  for  our  first  week,"  said 
Judd.  Then  with  a  quizzical  look  he  asked,  "  Do 
you  want  to  go  back  to  Benton's,  chum  ?" 

"No,  I  guess  not,"  replied  Budd  with  a  smile; 
"  but  haven't  we  enough  cash  on  hand  now  to  have 
the  alterations  made  in  the  sloop  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  think  so,"  replied  his  partner ;  "  and  if 
you  are  agreed,  we'll  take  her  down  to  Saunders- 
town,  Monday  morning,  and  leave  her  there  for  the 
alterations.  We  ought  to  get  her  again  by  Wed- 
nesday or  Thursday,  and  can  spare  her  better  the 
fore  part  of  the  week  than  the  last." 

"'  All  right,"  consented  Pudd. 

It  would  be  altogether  too  long  a  story,  however 
mteresting  it  might  be,  to  follow  the  lads  in  their 
work  day  by  day.  Not  ever}^  day  was  a  fortunate 
one;  nor  did  they  always  sell  their  stock  com- 
pletely out.  Still,  as  June  came  in  there  began  to 
be  some  demand  for  the  sloop  for  fishing  or  sailing- 
parties,  and  this  helped  out  the  revenue.  There 
also  came  occasionally  an  unusual  haul  of  fish,  which 
added  no  small  sum  of  mone}'  to  their  treasury. 

For  instance,  one  June  morning  the  lads  were 
running  down  the  bay  to  visit  their  lobster-pots. 
All  at  once  Budd,  who  was  forward,  called  out : 


68  istiDi)  BOYD'S  rniuMPM. 

"  Judd,  look  at  this  school  of  fish  !" 

The  lad  addressed  glanced  in  the  direction  his 
companion  had  pointed,  and  the  next  moment  had 
altered  the  course  of  the  sloop  and  was  running 
directly  for  the  school.  When  within  a  few  rods  of 
it  he  exclaimed : 

"  It  is  as  1  thought ;  they  are  mackerel,  and  we 
are  in  luck.  Get  out  our  lines,  take  off  the  sinkers, 
and  tie  on  some  bits  of  white  rag  as  quick  as  you 
can." 

In  wonder,  Budd  obeyed  the  directions.  Mean- 
time Judd  had  brought  the  sloop  directly  into  the 
head  of  the  school,  and  put  up  her  helm  and  lashed  it. 

"  Now  throw  over  your  lines,  and  pull  in  as  fast 
as  possible,"  were  Judd's  orders. 

What  sport  followed !  Up  and  down  through 
that  school,  and  it  was  an  immense  one,  the  sloop 
went,  the  lines  trolling  behind.  In  and  out  were 
the  lines  drawn  and  thrown  until  the  boys'  arms 
ached,  and  their  backs  felt  like  breaking.  Larger 
and  larger  grew  the  pile  of  great  mackerel  on  the 
bottom  of  the  sloop,  until  the  lads  could  literally 
fish  no  longer. 

"  Enough !"  Budd  cried.  "  I'm  satisfied.  Let  us 
quit." 

His  comrade  was  not  loath  to  follow  his  sugges- 
tion. A  counting  revealed  the  astonishing  fact  that 
over  three  hundred  mackerel  had  been  caught, 
and  they  were  sold  that  afternoon  in  the  city  of 
Newport,  where  the  lads  carried  them,  for  twenty- 
five  dollars. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIVMPB.  69 

But  just  about  the  time  the  summer  hotels  were 
opening  a  circumstance  happened  that  put  the  young 
partners  in  a  position  to  do  a  larger  work  than  even 
their  ambitions  had  anticipated. 

A  few  dajs  after  the  surprising  capture  of  mack- 
erel the  lads  had  taken  a  fishing-party  down  to 
Beaver  Tail.  On  the  return,  late  in  the  afternoon, 
and  just  as  the  sloop  passed  Dutch  Island,  Budd 
called  his  chum's  attention  to  another  sloop  just 
ahead  of  them  that  had  suddenly  luffed  up  into  the 
wind  and  nearly  capsized.  A  moment  later  she  fell 
off  before  the  wind,  her  sail  flapped  loosely  at  the 
mast,  and  then  it  was  seen  that  the  man  at  the  tiller 
had  disappeared. 

"  Has  the  man  fallen  overboard  ?"  was  Budd's 
startling  question. 

"  No,"  replied  Judd,  putting  up  his  helm  and  run- 
ning down  toward  the  other  sloop.  "  That  is  Ben 
Taylor's  boat,  and  he  is  subject  to  fits.  He  has 
fallen  into  one,  and  that  has  let  the  vessel  fall  off 
before  the  wind." 

A  few  minutes  later  the  Sea  Witch  ran  alongside 
of  the  drifting  sloop ;  and,  as  Judd  had  said,  her 
owner  was  lying  in  her  bottom,  unconscious.  After 
a  little  consultation,  Budd  and  one  of  the  fishing- 
party  boarded  the  craft,  and  carrying  the  man  into 
the  cabin  and  laying  him  in  a  berth,  they  put  the 
boat  before  the  wind  and  followed  the  Sea  Witch  up 
the  bay  to  Wickford,  where  the  unfortunate  man 
belonged. 

He  was  then  taken  to  his  home  and  a  doctor  sum- 


70  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

moned,  who  pronounced  the  man  alive,  and  under 
skillt'ully-apphed  restoratives  he  soon  began  to  re- 
cover. Budd  waited  just  long  enough  to  know  the 
man  was  out  of  danger ;  then  he  joined  Judd  at  the 
wharf,  and  together  they  sailed  off  to  their  island 
home. 

Three  or  four  mornings  later  they  were  surprised 
by  a  visit  from  Mr.  Taylor  himself.  After  thanking 
the  lads  for  the  part  they  had  taken  in  his  rescue,  he 
said: 

"  The  doctor  tells  me  I'm  liable  to  have  these  turns 
almost  any  time,  and  with  recurring  frequency. 
That  makes  my  wife  opposed  to  my  going  on  the 
water  any  longer,  and  I've  come  over  to  see  if  you 
lads  won't  take  my  business." 

The  boys  knew  he  was  the  owner  of  three  fish- 
pounds  at  various  points  on  the  bay,  and  with  some 
eagerness  they  asked  him  his  terms. 

"  Well,"  he  said  slowly,  "  I  thought  if  you  were 
willing  to  take  my  pounds  off  my  hands,  and  the 
contract  I  have  with  city  parties  for  the  fish,  I'd 
give  you  two-thirds  of  the  net  profits.  The  other 
third  ought  to  be  a  fair  percentage  on  the  money  I 
have  invested.  Then  if  you  chaps  should  want  to 
buy  the  pounds  right  out,  you  shall  have  them  for 
what  they  cost  me." 

It  was  altogether  too  good  an  opportunity  to  let 
pass,  and  the  boys  promptly  accepted  the  offer. 

They  still  kept  the  home  trade  they  had  built 
up,  but  shipped  to  city  parties  all  the  fish  they  had 
exceeding  the  home  demand,  and  thus  found  them- 


PUPD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  71 

selves  in  the  possession  of  a  weekly  income  that 
they  had  scarcely  dreamed  of.  It  was  very  plain 
that  unless  some  unforeseen  circumstance  came  in  to 
prevent,  their  business  had  taken  a  boom  that  would 
insure  them  a  most  successful  season. 


TZ  BUDD  BOYD'S  TlilVMFU, 


CHAPTER   YIIL 

THE  LOST  OX-CABT. 

IT  IS  Saturday,  the  seventeenth  of  June,  and 
therefore  just  four  weeks  since  the  new  firm 
was  fairly  organized.  The  partners  still  use  this 
day  of  the  week  for  their  special  home  duties.  Let 
us,  then,  cross  over  to  the  island,  take  a  peep  at 
them,  and  see  how  they  prosper. 

As  our  visit  is  through  the  mind  only,  we  will  go 
to  the  house  first.  The  windows  and  doors  are 
open,  and  the  balmy  air  of  the  early  summer  is 
circulating  through  the  rooms  with  its  life-giving 
and  purifying  powers.  This  suggests  that  the  lads 
cannot  be  far  away,  though  we  do  not  find  them 
within  the  building.  They  will  not,  however,  object 
to  our  mental  inspection  of  the  premises,  and  there- 
fore we  may  safely  enter. 

This  room  is  the  kitchen,  reaching  across  the 
whole  width  of  the  house,  and  occupying  what  may 
be  termed  the  west  end  of  the  structure.  We  notice 
that  the  carpetless  floor  is  still  damp,  where  it  has 
been  scrubbed  to  snowy  whiteness ;  the  stove  shines 
with  its  glossy  blackness ;  pots,  kettles,  dishes,  chairs 
and  table  are  all  in  place,  and  an  air  of  exquisite 
neatness  pervades  the  room. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  73 

Passing  to  our  right  we  enter  the  sitting-room, 
not  so  large  a,s  the  kitchen,  and  occupying  the 
southeast  corner  of  the  house.  There  is  a  carpet  on 
the  floor — the  only  one  Judd's  mother  possessed.  A 
small  table  stands  in  the  center  of  the  room,  and  on 
it  rests  a  lamp,  a  paper  or  two,  afid  some  books.  A 
few  cane-seated  chairs,  an  old-fashioned  and  roomy 
lounge,  and  curtains  at  the  two  windows,  complete 
the  furnishings. 

Back  of  the  sittmg-room  is  the  bedroom,  just 
large  enough  to  contain  the  bedstead,  the  wash- 
stand,  the  bureau  and  two  chairs.  One  thing,  how- 
ever, attracts  our  special  attention.  The  bed  is  not 
a  mere  collection  of  blankets,  thrown  together  and 
never  disturbed.  On  the  contrary,  it  would  rival 
the  thriftiest  housewife's  for  its  plump  feather-bed, 
its  white  sheets  and  pillow-cases,  and  the  neatness 
with  which  it  is  made.  All  the  rooms,  in  fact,  have 
by  their  neat  appearance  disclosed  to  us  what  we 
have  already  suspected-  -the  lads  have  here  a  home^ 
and  not  a  mere  abiding-place. 

As  we  leave  the  house  by  the  kitchen  door  we 
find  just  at  the  western  end  of  the  building  a  huge 
pile  of  stove-wood ;  and  north  of  this,  between  the 
house  and  well,  a  small  garden-patch,  already  green 
with  its  vegetables.  Judd  had  begun  this  before 
Budd  came ;  then  it  was  enlarged  somewhat,  and 
now  promises  to  be  an  important  item  toward  their 
support. 

Trusting  the  reader  is  not  tired  with  this  lengthy 
description,  and  assuring  him  it  is  really  necessary 


74  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

for  the  better  understanding  of  the  chapters  that 
are  immediately  to  follow,  we  will  go  on  with  our 
story. 

Taking  the  well-beaten  path  running  west  from 
the  kitchen  door  we  are  soon  at  the  wharf,  where 
we  find  the  young  partners  busily  at  work.  Judd 
is  repairing  one  of  their  pound-nets,  which  he  has 
spread  out  upon  the  grass  just  back  of  the  dock. 
The  hole  is  a  large  one,  for  a  ten-foot  shark  went 
through  the  pound  the  morning  before,  lettmg  out 
no  one  knows  how  many  fish,  and  compelling  the 
lads  to  take  up  the  net  for  extensive  repairs;  but 
they  know  this  is  a  circumstance  they  must  oc- 
casionally look  for,  and  Judd's  cheery  whistle,  as  he 
works,  shows  that  he  has  met  with  no  special  dis- 
couragement in  the  mishap. 

Budd  is  on  board  the  sloop,  which  is  anchored  a 
little  north  of  the  wharf  and  within  its  shelter, 
scrubbing  down  her  deck.  Before  a  great  while  he 
finishes,  and  jumping  into  the  yawl,  sculls  it  rapidly 
to  the  shore.  As  he  passes  the  outer  end  of  the 
dock  he  pauses  a  moment  and  bends  down  to  look 
underneath  it.  Then  he  brings  the  boat  up  into 
the  opening,  and  catching  hold  of  the  top  planking 
calls  out : 

"  I  say,  Judd,  I'm  going  under  here  to  take  a  look 
at  the  cart-bed.  I  meant  before  this  time  to  have 
taken  it  across  to  'The  Hummocks,'  where  Mr. 
Benton  could  get  it.     Perhaps  I  can  do  it  to-day." 

"  Hold  on  a  few  minutes,"  responded  Judd,  look- 
ing over  to  where  his  partner  was,  "  and  I'll  go  with 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  75 

you.  You'll  need  help,  and  a  lantern  also.  Go  to 
the  house  and  get  that,  and  a  stout  rope ;  by  that 
time  I'll  be  through  here." 

Budd  secured  the  yawl  and  went  on  to  the  house. 
Meantime  Judd's  needle  flew  swiftly  in  and  out, 
and  when  his  chum  arrived  with  the  necessary 
articles  the  last  stitch  in  the  seine  had  been  talien. 

Entering  the  boat,  the  lads  pushed  slowly  in 
under  the  wharf,  and  soon  came  to  the  cart-bed 
which  had  brought  Budd  so  providentially  over  to 
the  island.  It  had  been  partly  filled  with  sand  by 
the  tides,  and  was  covered  with  a  green  slime  ;  but 
the  boys  were  dressed  for  dirty  work,  and  soon  got 
the  unwieldy  body  in  a  condition  to  launch.  Then 
hitching  the  rope  to  it,  they  fastened  the  other  end 
to  the  yawl  and  slowly  rowed  out,  dragging  the 
cart-bed  after  them. 

They  now  took  it  on  shore,  and  with  sand  and 
broom  and  water  scoured  it  until  thoroughly  clean ; 
then  the}'^  again  fastened  it  to  the  yawl  and  started 
for  "  The  Hummocks."  It  was  a  long  pull  and  a 
hard  one,  but  at  length  their  task  w^as  accomplished, 
and  the  cart-body  was  safely  landed  on  the  north 
hummock  and  dragged  up  above  high-water 
mark. 

"  There,"  said  Budd,  panting  with  his  exertions  ; 
"  I  wish  I  could  find  the  under-gear,  and  then  I 
could  return  the  whole  vehicle  to  its  owner,  safe 
and  sound." 

"  Possibly  we  might  find  it  if  we  searclied  for  it," 
replied  Judd,  walking  down  to  the  roadway  between 


76  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

"The  Hummocks"  and  where  his  comrade  had  been 
swept  off.  Turning  about,  he  looked  off  toward  the 
island.  "There,"  he  said,  with  a  wave  of  his  hand 
— "a  straight  line  from  here  touches  the  open  end 
of  the  dock.  Along  that  line  somewhere  you  were 
thrown  into  the  cart-bed,  probably  as  it  came  to  the 
surface ;  and  beneath  that  spot,  or  somewhere  near 
it,  lies  the  w^heels.  How  far  off  shore  were  you 
when  that  happened  ?" 

"  I  can't  tell,"  answered  Budd.  "  It  seemed  to 
me  a  terrible  long  distance,  and  yet  it  may  not  have 
been.  If  we  only  had  a  water-glass  we  might  row 
over  to  the  island  from  this  point,  examining  the 
bottom  of  the  bay  the  whole  distance." 

"  What  is  a  water-glass  ?"  asked  his  chum,  with 
interest. 

"I  think  I  can  make  one,"  replied  Budd,  with 
energy.  "  You  want  a  board  tube  about  eighteen 
inches  deep,  with  a  glass  set  in  at  one  end.  You 
then  put  your  face  at  the  other  and  put  the  glass 
end  a  little  beneath  the  surface,  and  the  bottom 
of  the  sea  for  some  distance  around  can  be  seen." 

"  We'll  make  one  right  away  and  try  it,"  declared 
Judd,  with  enthusiasm.  "  If  it  works  well,  we  can 
use  it  for  a  good  many  purposes.  There  is  an  eight- 
by-ten  pane  of  glass  over  at  the  house.  Is  that 
large  enough  ?" 

"  I  think  so — come  on,"  responded  his  com- 
panion ;  and  the  next  moment  the  yawl  was  on  its 
way  back  to  the  island  with  a  speed  that  fairly 
made  the  water  foam  at  its  bow. 


ntTDD  mtD'S  miUMPS.  '}"}' 

It  took  but  a  half-hour  to  make  the  glass.  Four 
boards  of  the  requisite  length  were  nailed  together, 
forming  a  tube  of  just  the  size  to  take  in  the  pane 
of  glass  at  one  end.  A  half-inch  inside  of  this  end 
a  row  of  tacks  Avere  driven  nearly  to  their  head ; 
then  the  glass  was  carefully  dropped  down  until  it 
rested  upon  them.  Another  row  of  tacks  driven 
just  outside  of  the  glass  completed  the  arrangement 
for  holding  it  in  place,  and  the  instrument  was 
finished.  It  now  only  remained  to  try  it,  and  Budd 
ran  down  to  the  yawl,  followed  by  his  chum.  The}'^ 
pushed  the  boat  forty  or  fifty  feet  off  shore,  and 
put  the  water-glass  to  its  test.  To  their  delight  it 
proved  a  perfect  success,  and  through  it  the  tiniest 
objects  on  the  sea-bottom  were  clearly  discernible. 

"  "We  had  better  go  over  to  the  point  where  the 
cart  was  swept  off  into  the  bay,  to  begin  our  search. 
Doubtless  the  under-gear  is  nearer  that  shore  than 
this,"  suggested  Budd. 

His  companion  made  no  objection,  and  for  the 
second  time  that  morning  they  crossed  to  "  The 
Hummocks." 

Once  opposite  the  road-bed,  Judd  took  both  oars 
and  backed  water  slowly  toward  the  wharf  on  the 
island,  while  Budd  sat  in  the  stern  of  the  yawl,  and 
with  his  head  in  the  tube  watched  the  bottom  of  the 
bay. 

Rod  after  rod  was  gone  over,  when  Budd  sud- 
denly removed  his  head  from  the  tube  with  an  ex- 
clamation of  surprise. 

"  I  say,  Judd,  the  bottom  here  is  covered  solid 


•5^8  B  tri)D  BO  TD'S  TRl  UMPH, 

with  scallops,  and  the  bed  seems  to  extend  as  far  as 
I  can  see  in  either  direction." 

'"  Let  me  see,"'  answered  Judd,  pulling  in  his  oars 
and  joining  his  companion  at  the  stern  of  the  boat. 

Taking  the  glass,  he  examined  the  sea-bottom  for 
some  minutes  intently. 

"  It  is  as  you  say,"  he  exclaimed,  joyfully.  "  Let 
us  see  if  we  can  find  the  size  of  the  bed.  Row,  if 
you  will,  to  the  south,  while  I  watch." 

Budd  good-naturedly  took  the  oars  and  pulled  in 
the  direction  indicated.  He  had  gone  about  fifty 
feet  when  Judd  motioned  him  to  stop. 

"  The  bed  ends  here,"  he  explained,  removing  his 
head  from  the  glass.     "  Now  row  slowly  east." 

Budd  did  as  directed  for  ten  or  twelve  rods; 
then  Judd  again  motioned  him  to  stop. 

"  That  is  the  width  of  the  bed,"  he  explained. 
"  Now  row  north." 

Again  the  boat  shot  in  that  direction,  and  for  a 
long  distance,  until  Judd  shouted : 

»  Hurrah !" 

"  What  is  it  ?"  asked  Budd,  excitedly. 

"  That  ends  the  bed ;  and  did  you  ever  see  such  a 
one  before  ?  It  must  be  all  of  two  hundred  feet  in 
width  and  four  or  five  hundred  in  length,  and  that 
means  bushels  of  scallops  and  many  a  dollar  for  us 
when  the  law  is  off  in  September." 

Budd  needed  no  further  explanation  from  his 
parjiner.  He  had  heard  him  say  again  and  again 
that  they  must  keep  a  sharp  lookout  for  the  beds  of 
these  valuable  bivalves,  and  here  was  a  tremendous 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRTUMPIt.  7<) 

one  right  almost  at  their  island.  He,  too,  joined  in 
iiis  companion's  hurrah. 

"I  guess  the  glass  has  paid  for  its  construction 
already,"  he  commented,  joining  his  chum  at  the 
stern. 

Almost  unconsciously  he  took  the  glass  and  looked 
through  it.  The  yawl  had  drifted  a  little  to  the 
right  of  the  place  where  Judd  had  given  his  hurrah, 
and  was  almost  directly  in  line  of  the  island's  wharf. 
Budd  looked  but  an  instant,  then  he  sprung  to  his 
feet  and  swung  his  hat. 

"  Judd,"  was  his  astonishing  declaration,  "  those 
cart-wheels  are  just  below  us,  and  at  the  very  north- 
east corner  of  the  scallop-bed.  The  sea-bottom  goes 
off  suddenly,  and  the  wheels  are  down  the  bank, 
and  the  tongue  is  almost  upright  in  the  water !" 

"  You  don't  say  so !"  cried  Judd,  no  less  elated 
than  his  comrade.  Then  suddenly  he  added :  "  That 
explains,  too,  chum,  how  the  cart-bed  was  thrown 
off,  and  it  must  have  been  somewhere  near  here  you 
were  tossed  within  it." 

"  Yes,"  assented  Budd ;  "  but  how  are  we  going 
to  get  the  gear  on  shore  ?" 

"  Let  me  take  a  look  at  it,"  said  Judd. 

It  took  a  moment  or  two  to  locate  the  under-gear, 
and  then  Judd  examined  the  sea-bottom  carefully. 
He  finally  arose  from  the  examination  with  the  air 
of  one  who  had  come  to  a  decision. 

"  Give  me  that  rope,"  he  said. 

Budd  handed  him  the  rope  that  had  been  used  to 
drao;  the  cart-bed  over  to  "The  Hummocks." 


so  BXTbD  nOTD'S  TRTUMPS. 

Making  a  running-noose  in  one  end,  Judd  lowered 
it  into  the  water,  at  the  same  time  directing  Budd 
to  hold  the  yawl  steady.  Again  and  again  he 
seemed  to  get  his  rope  in  the  position  he  desired, 
but  it  slipped  away.  Finally  he  gave  a  quick  jerk, 
and  then  a  cry  of  exultation. 

"  My  noose  has  caught  over  the  tongue  and  back 
of  the  iron  clevis,  and  no  power  can  pull  it  away. 
Let  us  see  now  if  we  can  start  the  wheels." 

He  fastened  the  rope  at  the  stern  of  the  yawl  and 
took  one  oar.  Budd  took  the  other,  and  together 
they  pulled  with  all  their  strength  ;  but  the  wheels 
did  not  move.  After  several  fruitless  attempts  to 
start  the  ponderous  under-gear  the  lads  gave  it  up, 
and  looked  around  for  some  other  way  of  accom- 
plishing their  purpose. 

"If  it  was  not  so  far  off  shore,"  remarked  Budd, 
"we  could  run  our  rope  in  there  and  hitch  a  pair 
of  oxen  to  it,  and  then  I  guess  the  wheels  would 
have  to  come." 

"What  the  oxen  can't  do  our  sloop  can,"  said 
Judd  with  animation. 

"  What  is  that  ?"  asked  Budd. 

"  Furnish  us  with  power,"  was  the  reply.  "  See 
— the  wind  is  rising.  By  afternoon  we  will  have  a 
strong  breeze  from  the  southwest.  We'll  come 
down  here  with  the  sloop,  make  fast,  and  take  our 
first  tack  to  the  northeast ;  that  will  haul  the 
wheels  out  from  the  sand  in  which  they  are  im- 
bedded. Then  we'll  make  a  tack  due  west  and  run 
the  wheels  just  as  near  inshore  as  we  can  with  the 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  81 

sloop ;  after  that  we  can  use  the  yawl  to  finish  the 
work." 

A  piece  of  board  that  lay  in  the  bottom  of  the 
-yawl  w^as  fastened  as  a  buoy  to  the  rope,  and  then 
the  lads  returned  to  the  island,  to  wait  until  the 
rising  wind  had  reached  a  sufficient  velocity  to  war- 
rant their  undertaking. 

It  was  not  far  from  three  o'clock  that  afternoon 
when  they  boarded  the  sloop  and  ran  down  to  their 
improvised  buoy.  Another  rope  was  fastened  to 
tliat  which  had  already  been  attached  to  the  cart- 
tongue,  and  this,  after  its  other  end  had  been  made 
secure  to  the  stern  of  the  sloop,  was  coiled  in  such  a 
way  that  it  would  easily  pay  out  as  the  boat  ran  off 
before  the  stiff  breeze. 

As  soon  as  all  was  in  readiness  the  head  of  the 
Sea  Witch  was  brought  round  before  the  wind  and 
her  full  sails  spread.  Away  she  went  like  an  arrow, 
and  the  rope  uncoiled  with  a  swiftness  that  made 
the  lads  brace  themselves  for  the  shock  they  knew 
Avould  immediately  come.  But  it  was  not  so  much 
of  a  shock  as  they  had  anticipated.  The  rope  sud- 
denly stiffened,  there  was  a  quick  jerk,  and  then  the 
sloop  kept  on  her  course,  her  speed  somewhat  di- 
minished by  the  load  she  was  evidentlv  towing  be- 
hind her. 

"  We  have  started  them,"  the  boys  cried  simul- 
taneously ;  and  then  Judd,  who  was  at  the  helm, 
brought  the  sloop  around  on  her  downward  tack. 

With  no  apparent  difficult}'^  the  Sea  Witch, 
dragged  her  load,  and  skirting  the  shore,  she  was 


8^  Miii)l)  SotPs  TRtuMPH. 

run  down  until  nearly  opposite  the  smaller  hum- 
mock. Then  the  was  anchored,  and  with  the  yawl 
the  lads  completed  the  work  of  landing  the  under- 
gear.  Then  they  dragged  the  wheels  up  to  the 
cart-bed,  and  the  long-separated  parts  were  once 
more  united. 

"  Now,"  said  Budd,  as  he  gazed  at  the  restored 
•vehicle,  "I  believe  I  will  go  up  to  the  next  farm 
and  get  a  yoke  of  oxen,  and  surprise  Mr.  Benton  by 
bringing  it  home.  That  will  end  the  business,  and 
I  shall  have  a  great  load  off  my  mind." 

"  While  you  go  up  for  the  oxen,  I'll  take  the  sloop 
back  to  the  island  and  return  in  the  yawl,"  said 
Judd.  "  I  want  to  go  with  you  and  hear  what  the 
old  man  will  say." 

Budd  got  the  oxen  and  yoked  them  to  the  tongue. 
The  iron  pin  that  he  had  so  hastily  pulled  out  at  the 
time  he  had  been  swept  away  was  gone,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  make  a  wooden  one  before  he  could 
secure  the  yoke.  He  had  barely  got  it  done  when 
Judd  returned,  and  they  drove  off  for  Mr.  Benton's. 

They  found  him  at  home,  on  their  arrival,  and  he 
came  quickly  out  to  see  his  long-lost  cart.  The  rays 
of  the  sun  had  nearly  dried  its  exterior,  and  it 
scarcely  looked  the  worse  for  its  hard  usage.  Over 
and  over  the  man  examined  the  vehicle,  but  said  not 
a  word  until  Budd  took  oif  the  oxen.  Then  his  eye 
caught  sight  of  the  wooden  tongue  pin,  and  he 
asked,  sharply : 

"  Where's  the  iron  pin  that  was  in  there  when  you 
lost  the  cart  V 


BtIDD  SorD'S  TttttlMPB.  ^ 

"  On  the  sea-bottom,  I  suppose,"  answered  Budd. 
"  You  didn't  expect  me  to  hang  on  to  it,  did  you  V 

"  No,"  said  the  man,  slowlj^,  "  but  I  should  'a' 
thought  ye'd  'a'  got  me  another." 

"  How  much  will  one  cost  ?"  asked  Budd,  in  dis- 
gust. 

"As  much  as  a  quarter,"  replied  Mr.  Benton. 

"  Here  it  is,"  said  Budd,  handing  that  amount  to 
him,  "  and  I  hope  you  are  now  satisfied  ?" 

"Yes,  unless" — rather  hesitatingly — "unless 
ye've  a  mind  to  pay  me  fer  the  time  it  has  been 
gone." 

"  I  won't  pay  you  a  single  cent  for  it !  I  haven't 
used  your  cart!"  responded  Budd,  out  of  all  pa- 
tience. 

The  lads  then  turned  and  left  the  man,  who  had 
in  no  way  thanked  them  for  restoring  his  cart,  nor 
seemed  to  appreciate  the  toil  the}"  had  undergone 
for  its  restoration. 

It  was  night  before  the  boys  had  returned  the 
borrowed  oxen  to  their  owner,  paid  for  their  use, 
and  reached  their  boat.  Almost  out  of  patience 
with  themselves  for  having  neglected  some  of  their 
own  work  to  render  a  favor  to  an  ungrateful  man, 
they  embarked  and  rowed  rapidly  for  the  island. 
Reaching  the  wharf  a  few  minutes  later,  they 
secured  the  boat  and  started  for  the  house.  Sud- 
denly Judd  caught  his  companion's  arm,  saying : 

"  What  light  is  that  ?" 

Only  a  few  rods  off  shore,  and  coming  directly  for 
the  island,  was  a  light.     Soon  it  was  near  enough  for 


84  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

the  lads  to  distinguish,  even  in  the  darkness,  a  boat 
containing  three  men,  one  of  whom  was  in  the  bow, 
and  held  a  lighted  lantern  in  his  hand.  As  the  boat 
reached  the  shore  they  heard  this  man  distinctly  say- 
ing: 

"  This  is  the  island,  and  the  house  is  a  few  rods  in 
that  direction.  We'll  find  a  good  shelter  for  the 
night,  and  may  perhaps  find  it  worth  our  while  to 
keep  quietly  here  for  some  time." 

Budd  drew  his  chum  back  into  the  shadow  of  an 
adjacent  tree  and  whispered : 

"  Let  us  find  out  who  they  are  before  me  make 
ourselves  knoAvn." 

Then  the  two  lads  crept  carefully  along  the  west- 
ern shore  of  the  island  until  opposite  the  house ;  then 
they  crossed  their  garden-patch  and  concealed  them- 
selves behind  the  huge  wood-pile,  waiting  for  the 
new-comers  to  approach,  and  wondering  what  pur- 
pose had  brought  thera  to  the  island. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  85 


CHAPTEE  IX. 

THE   THREE   INTRUDERS. 

THE  LADS  did  not  have  long  to  wait.  Scarcely 
had  they  recovered  breath  from  their  rapid 
running  when  the  three  intruders  appeared.  The 
one  in  advance  carried  the  lantern,  and  all  carried 
gripsacks. 

"  They  have  come  to  stay,"  whispered  Budd. 

Then  he  asked,  softly  : 

"Are  the  doors  locked,  Judd?" 

"  Yes,  and  windows  fastened,"  was  the  answer, 
given  in  the  same  low  wiiisper.  "I  fortunately  at- 
tended to  that  w4ien  I  came  over  with  the  sloop." 

The  men  reached  the  house  and  tried  the  kitchen 
door,  but  it  withstood  their  most  vigorous  blows. 

"  I  don't  understand  this,"  remarked  the  man  with 
the  lantern.  "  You  could  get  in  easily  enough  when 
I  was  over  here  early  in  the  spring." 

"  Perhaps  some  one  is  living  here  now,"  suggested 
one  of  his  companions,  cautiously.  "There  is  a 
wood-pile  just  beyond  the  corner." 

"  So  there  is,"  assented  the  first  speaker,  holding 
up  his  lantern  so  that  its  rays  fell  on  the  heap ;  "  but 
if  there  is  anyone  here,  I  should  have  thought  our 
knocking  would  have  aroused  hini," 


'86  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.     . 

"  It  may  be  some  fisherman  who  has  not  yet  come 
home,"  remarked  the  third  man. 

"  We'll  try  a  window,"  said  the  leader ;  and  he 
stepped  to  the  one  just  at  the  left  of  the  door. 

"  It  is  also  fastened,"  he  added,  after  trying  it, 
"  but  it  is  with  a  stick  just  above  it.  Tom,  hand  me 
your  cutter,  and  I'll  take  out  a  glass  and  remove 
the  stick." 

The  man  addressed  opened  his  gripsack.  For  a 
moment  the  listening  lads  heard  the  ring  of  metallic 
tools  striking  together ;  then  the  searcher  seemed  to 
find  what  he  wanted,  and  handed  his  companion  the 
instrument  he  had  asked  for. 

There  was  now  heard  for  an  instant  a  sharp 
scratching  sound,  followed  by  a  jingle  of  glass,  and 
then  the  window  was  raised  up. 

"  We  can  get  in  now,"  remarked  the  one  who  had 
opened  the  window  ;  and  tossing  in  his  gripsack,  he 
sprung  in  after  it,  followed  by  his  companions. 

Budd  and  his  partner  rose  and  crept  under  the 
window,  listening  eagerly  yet  apprehensively  for 
the  next  words  the  men  should  speak,  for  they  now 
suspected  the  character  of  their  visitors,  and  knew  it 
would  go  hard  with  them  if  they  wei'e  discovered. 

"  Some  one  does  live  here,  boys,  sure  enough. 
These  things  weren't  here  at  all  a  few  months  ago," 
said  the  leader,  a  moment  later. 

"  Well,  whoever  they  are,  evidently  they  are  not 
here  just  now,  and  we'll  look  around.  Perhaps 
Ave'll  find  something  worth  taking,  even  if  we  have 
to  leave,"  said  the  man  who  had  been  called  Tom. 


BVDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  87 

As  his  voice  reached  the  listening  boys,  Budd 
caught  Judd's  arm  convulsively. 

"  I  believe  I  know  that  man,"  he  whispered  into 
his  astonished  comrade's  ear. 

"  All  right,"  was  the  response  of  the  other  men  to 
Tom's  suggestion,  and  they  passed  on  into  the  sit- 
ting-room. 

Budd  nudged  his  chum,  crept  around  to  the  east 
end  of  the  house,  and  stood  up  by  the  sitting  room 
window.  The  curtain  was  lowered,  but  not  quite 
far  enough  to  reach  the  sill,  and  through  this  nar- 
row opening  he  gave  a  quick  look  at  the  three 
men.  Then  he  pulled  Judd,  who  had  followed 
him,  back  into  the  shadow  of  the  building  and  said, 
hoarsely : 

"  It  is  as  I  thought.  The  man  they  call  Tom  is 
Thomas  H.  Bagsley,  who  worked  in  the  same  office 
with  my  father  for  several  years,  and  he  is  as  big  a 
rascal  as  there  is  outside  of  prison-walls.  If  I  only 
had  him  in  my  power  I'd  wring  a  confession  out  of 
him  that  would  change  my  whole  future  life ;"  and 
there  was  a  bitterness  in  the  lad's  words  that  was 
akin  to  hatred. 

As  though  to  substantiate  Budd's  declaration,  a 
singular  thing  happened  w^ithin  the  house.  There 
came  a  sharp  exclamation  that  led  the  boys  to  again 
look  through  the  window  into  the  room.  The  man 
called  Tom  stood  by  the  center-table,  with  Budd's 
Bible  open  in  his  hand,  staring  at  the  fly-leaf,  and  it 
was  he  from  whom  the  exclamation  had  come. 

"  ^Vhat's  the  niatter  f  asked  his  companions, 


88  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

"  I  want  you  to  read  that  name,"  he  said  savagely 
to  them  ;  and  looking  over  his  shoulder  they  read : 

"  Budd  Boyd.     From  his  mother,  Mary  Boyd." 

"  Well,  what  of  it  ?"  asked  one  of  the  men, 

"  He's  the  son  of  Henry  Boyd,"  answered  Tom, 
shrilly.  "I  knew  he'd  left  Boston,  but  didn't  sup- 
pose he  had  come  down  this  way.  We'd  better 
leave  before  he  gets  his  eyes  on  me." 

"Why?"  asked  the  same  man  who  had  spoken 
before. 

"  Because,"  answered  the  leader  of  the  trio,  "  Tom 
played  a  little  trick  that  sent  the  father  to  prison, 
where  he  is  to-day,  and  he  is  afraid  the  son  will  take 
revenge  on  him  should  he  catch  sight  of  him." 

Tom  swore  a  fearful  oath. 

"  Not  if  I  know  myself,"  he  replied,  fiercely.  "  Let 
me  see  the  son,  and  I'll  serve  him  worse  than  the 
father.  All  I  fear  is  he  may  see  me  and  recognize 
me;  then  the  little  job  we  contemplate  will. have 
to  be  given  over.  He'd  set  the  authorities  to  watch- 
ing us,  and  the  sooner  we  got  out  the  neighborhood 
the  better." 

"  Hadn't  we  better  keep  watch  here  till  the  lad 
returns,  and  then  drop  him  off  the  island?"  sug- 
gested the  leader,  coolly. 

"  Yes,  if  we  were  sure  he  was  alone,"  answered 
Tom,  readily.  "  But  I  don't  believe  he  is.  Likely 
as  not  there  is  a  family  living  here,  and  they  may 
have  gone  over  to  one  of  the  villages  for  something, 
and  when  the  moon  is  up  will  return.  Before  that 
time  we  must  be  gone." 


B  UDD  BO  TD'S  TRIUMPH.  89 

"Well,  perhaps  you  are  right,"  the  leader  an- 
swered. "We  can  row  over  to  Hope  Island  and 
make  a  stay  there  over  Sunday,  or  until  we  have 
formed  our  plans,  I  believe  there  is  no  one  there 
as  yet." 

"That  is  old  Johnson's  summer  residence,  isn't 
it?"  asked  Tom. 

"  Yes.     Are  you  afraid  of  him,  too  ?" 

"No  more  than  I  am  of  the  boy.  In  fact,  I'd  like 
to  ransack  the  house  over  there,  if  the  way  is  clear 
to  do  so." 

"  All  right ;  we'll  go  over  there  pretty  soon,  then. 
But  let  us  first  see  what  there  is  for  us  here.  Jed 
had  better  run  down  by  the  boat,  however,  and 
keep  watch,  while  you  and  I  pick  up  the  things." 

Jed  departed,  at  his  leader's  suggestion,  and  the 
two  lads  deemed  it  wise  for  them  to  keep  out  of  his 
way,  and  so  worked  cautiously  back  to  the  west 
side  of  the  island,  where  they  could  embark  upon 
their  boat  at  the  first  evidence  of  their  being  dis- 
covered by  the  intruders. 

As  they  sat  down  near  the  wharf  Judd  said,  in 
low  tones : 

"  I  wish  we  had  some  way  to  scare  those  fellows 
off  before  they  make  a  very  extended  search  of  the 
house.     I'm  afraid  they  may  find  our  money." 

Before  Budd  could  answer  there  was  a  sound  of 
steps  coming  down  the  path  toward  the  wharf.  It 
was  evidently  one  of  the  robbers,  but  he  came  only 
a  short  distance. 

"  Jed !  Jed  1"  he  called  in  low  but  distinct  tones. 


90  BUDD  BOYD'S  TBIUMPE. 

"  We  have  found  just  the  jolliest  supper !  Come  on 
up  and  help  us  eat  it." 

Jed,  who  was  down  by  his  boat,  immediately 
joined  the  speaker,  and  the  two  went  hurriedly  back 
to  the  house. 

"I  wish  we  had  something  to  eat,  too,"  com- 
mented Judd,  as  the  two  men  disappeared.  "  I  con- 
fess, after  working  as  we  did  this  afternoon,  I'm 
hungry." 

"We'll  have  something  in  a  few  minutes,  and 
those  fellows  will  leave  the  house  a  good  deal 
quicker  than  they  got  into  it — see  if  they  don't," 
answ^ered  Budd.  "  You  just  stay  right  here  a  few 
minutes;"  and  then  he  ran  down  the  wharf,  jumped 
into  the  yawl,  and  sculled  quietly  over  to  the  sloop. 

It  was  not  over  five  minutes  before  he  returned 
with  an  old  gun,  that  had  belonged  to  Judd's  father, 
and  which  the  boys  kept  on  the  sloop,  having  an  oc- 
casional use  for  it,  as  they  went  about  the  bay,  to 
shoot  sea-fowl  with,  or  the  more  voracious  denizens 
of  the  sea. 

"  Come  on !"  he  said  to  Judd ;  and  again  the  boys 
approached  the  house. 

Taking  their  station  once  more  behind  the  wood- 
pile, Budd  called  out,  in  stern  tones : 

"  Hello,  Judd !  There  is  some  one  in  the  house ! 
Hurry  up  with  the  gun !" 

A  great  commotion  in  the  house  instantly  followed 
his  words.  The  robbers  evidently  were  at  the 
kitchen-table  eating  when  he  cried  out,  and  each 
grabbing  up  his  gripsack,  sprung  for  the  windo\v. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  91 

As  they  tumbled,  one  over  the  other,  out  onto  the 
ground,  Budd  raised  the  gun  and  fired  one  barrel 
into  the  air. 

ISTot  a  sound  save  that  of  running  followed  the  re- 
port, and  it  was  apparent  that  the  intruders  were 
making  the  best  time  possible  for  their  boat.  The 
two  boys  followed  them  to  the  shore,  and  Budd 
again  fired  into  the  air  as  the  light  craft  swiftly  dis- 
appeared in  the  darkness — not,  however,  until  there 
had  been  two  or  three  quick  flashes  from  the  boat, 
foDowed  by  sharp  reports,  and  some  pistol-balls  had 
whistled  harmlessl}'  above  the  lads'  heads. 

Hurrying  back  to  the  house,  the  boys  made  a  care- 
ful examination  of  their  rooms.  In  the  bedroom  and 
sitting-room  nothing  had  been  disturbed ;  and  in  the 
kitchen  the  broken  window,  the  lighted  lantern,  and 
the  partially-eaten  food  upon  the  table,  were  the 
only  evidences  of  the  robbers' visit. 

Somewhat  excited,  and  very  watchful  lest  the  in- 
truders should  return,  the  boys  ate  their  long- 
delayed  supper,  and  then  entered  the  sitting-room. 
Budd  sat  down  by  the  center-table  and  took  up  the 
Bible  that  had  caused  the  robber  Tom  so  much  sur- 
prise. His  face  flushed  greatly,  and  he  seemed 
deeply  moved  by  the  emotions  with  which  he  was 
struggling.     At  length  he  said : 

"  Judd,  you  heard  enough  from  Thomas  Bagsley^s 
lips  to-night  to  prove  he  was  the  man  I  had  declared 
him  to  be.  You  also  heard  him  allude  to  my  father. 
In  justice  to  that  father's  memory,  and  also  that  you 
may  know  who  I  am  and  how  I  came  to  be  here,  I 


92  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

will  now  tell  you  what  I  have  never  before  disclosed 
to  a  single  person." 

With  these  words  Budd  began  a  story  which  ex- 
plained the  mystery  that  had  hung  over  him  ever 
since  he  had  appeared  in  that  neighborhood,  and  re- 
vealed the  tremendous  burden  that  was  weighing 
down  his  young  life. 


BtlDt)  BOYD'S  TRIUMPS.  93 


CHAPTER    X. 

budd's  stoky. 

SAID  HE,  "My  father's  name  is  Henry  Boyd, 
and  my  mother's.  Mary  Boyd,  and  my  home 
until  last  March  was  in  Boston,  Mass.  Father  and 
mother  had  been  brought  up  in  the  western  part  of' 
that  State,  and  were  married  there,  but  soon  after 
my  birth  they  removed  to  Boston,  and  father  en- 
tered the  store  of  N.  B.  Johnson,  the  wholesale  dry 
goods  dealer  on  Sumner  Street." 

"He's  the  man  who  has  spent  the  last  summer  or 
two  on  Hope  Island,"  interrupted  Judd,  "  and  the 
one  Bagsley  called  old  Johnson." 

"  Yes,"  assented  Budd  ;  "  though  I  did  not  know, 
until  he  alluded  to  it  to-night,  that  it  was  down  this 
way  that  Mr.  Johnson  spent  his  summers. 

"To  go  on  with  my  story,  however.  Father 
slowly  worked  his  way  up  from  one  position  to  an- 
other until  he  was  Mr.  Johnson's  confidential  clerk, 
and  held  that  position  until  last  fall.  Of  course  his 
salary  was  a  comfortable  one,  and  we  lived  nicely 
out  in  the  Roxbury  suburbs.  I  was  kept  constantly 
in  school,  and  as  I  seemed  interested  in  my  studies 
father  determined  that  I  should  have  a  college  edu- 


94  IBUDt)  BOYD'S  TRttlMPH. 

cation,  and  with  that  aim  in  view  I  last  September 
entered  the  Boston  Latin  School. 

"How  little  we  know  what  is  before  us,"  con- 
tinued Budd  after  a  momentary  pause.  "  Had  any- 
one then  told  me  what  I  was  to  pass  through  in  less 
than  a  year  I  should  have  thought  it  simply  impos- 
sible. In  order  to  have  you  understand  what  is  to 
follow  I  must,  however,  go  back  a  little  in  my  ex- 
planation. 

"  When  I  was  about  twelve  years  old,  mother  be- 
gan to  show  signs  of  a  decline.  She  had  had  a  fever, 
and  never  fully  recovered.  Still,  as  she  was  able  to 
be  around  most  of  the  time  and  direct  our  one  ser- 
vant in  the  care  of  the  house,  I,  at  least,  thought 
but  little  about  it.  Not  so  with  father,  however. 
Always  thoughtful  of  others  rather  than  of  himself, 
he  watched  mother  with  an  ever-increasing  anxiety 
until  a  year  ago  last  spring.  Mother  then  con- 
tracted a  severe  cold,  and  it  v/as  soon  only  too  ap- 
parent that  she  had  entered  the  first  stages  of  a 
quick  consumption. 

"  All  that  summer  she  grew  worse,  and  last  Oc- 
tober she  was  so  feeble  her  physician  declared  that 
the  only  hope  of  saving  her  life  was  to  take  her  im- 
mediately to  a  warmer  climate  for  the  winter. 
Father  determined  that  this  should  be  done,  but 
how  he  was  to  accomplish  it  he  did  not  know. 
Mother  was  too  feeble  to  go  without  him  and  a 
woman  attendant.  The  fall  drive  at  the  store  had 
begun,  and  father  could  not  well  be  spared.  Then, 
too,  there  was  the  expense  that  would  necessarily 


StrDl)  botb's  TtttUMPti.  95 

follow.  This  was  an  important  item;  for  thouofh 
father  had  always  had  good  pay,  he  had,  on  account 
of  his  heavy  expenses,  saved  scarcely  anything. 

"  Father  spoke  to  Mr.  Johnson  about  a  leave  of 
absence,  and  he  reluctantly  consented  that  father 
should  be  gone  long  enough  to  take  mother  to 
Florida  and  arrange  for  her  comfort  there.  The 
woman  who  was  taking  care  of  her  consented  to  go 
and  stay  there  with  her ;  and  much  as  father  and 
mother  hated  to  be  separated,  this  seemed  the  only 
thing  that  could  be  done.  Father  had  about  two 
hundred  dollars  on  hand,  and  deemed  this  enough 
to  meet  the  expenses  of  taking  mother  down  to  De- 
land,  the  place  where  they  had  decided  to  go.  He 
then  intended  to  send  mother  money  each  month, 
or  as  it  should  be  needed. 

"  ISo  our  house  was  given  up.  The  goods  were 
stored.  A  boarding-place  was  secured  for  me,  and 
on  the  first  of  the  next  week  father  and  mother 
were  to  start.  I  shall  never  forget  that  last  evening 
we  all  spent  together,"  and  Budd's  voice  grew 
husky.  "  It  was  at  a  friend's  of  the  family,  where 
mother  had  been  temporarily  removed  while  the 
household  goods  were  being  packed  and  stored.  We 
were  alone  in  niother's  room,  and  it  almost  seems  as 
if  mother  knew  she  should  never  see  me  again,  ex- 
cept for  the  brief  moment  I  should  say  good-by  to 
her  at  the  depot  the  following  morning.  So  she  told 
me  her  last  wishes,  and  gave  me  her  blessing. 

"While  we  sat  there  a  knock, came  at  the  door, 
and  mother's  nurse  entered. 


96  ^UDl)  BOYD'S  TRWMPli. 

" '  Here,  Mr.  Boyd,'  she  said,  '  is  a  letter  for  you. 
It  has  just  been  left  at  the  door.' 

"  Father  took  it,  and  noticing  the  firm-name  on 
the  corner  of  the  envelope,  tore  it  open  with  some 
misgiving.  It  proved,  however,  to  be  a  great  cause 
for  rejoicing  to  us  all,  and  no  one  dreamed  that  it 
was  otherwise  than  authentic.  Written  on  the  reg- 
ular  firm  note-paper,  and  with  the  firm-heading,  it 
ran: 

Boston,  Mass.,  Oct.  15,  18 — . 
Me.  Henry  Boyd  : 

Dear  Sir — Possibly  my  reluctance  to  allow  you  a 
leave  of  absence  may  have  led  you  to  believe  I  do 
not  sympathize  with  you  in  your  wife's  illness;  but 
as  a  proof  that  I  do,  and  also  as  a  token  of  my 
appreciation  of  your  long  and  faithful  service,  I 
inclose  a  check  for  five  hundred  ($500)  dollars. 
Trusting  you  will  return  to  us  at  the  earliest  possible 
moment,  and  that  your  wife's  sojourn  in  a  warmer 
climate  may  completely  restore  her  to  health, 
I  remain,  yours  truly, 

N.  B.  Johnson. 

"  Now,  father  had  seen  more  or  less  of  Mr.  John- 
son's writing  every  day  for  years,  and  the  quaint, 
cramped  penmanship  of  the  letter,  with  the  familiar 
signature  at  the  close,  seemed  identically  those  that 
were  also  upon  the  check.  That  Avas  the  regular 
firm-check  also,  and  the  number  and  perforation 
were  in  strict  accordance  with  the  firm-usages,  and 
therefore  father,  with  a  grateful  heart,  wrote  a  note 
of  thanks,  and  gave  it  to  me  to  mail  to  Mr.  Johnson 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  97 

as  I  went  back  to  my  boarding-place.  "With  joyful 
hearts,  too — joyful  in  spite  of  mother's  feebleness — 
father  and  mother  set  out  at  an  early  hour  the  next 
morning  for  the  South.  They  had  taken  this  unex- 
pected generosity  of  Mr.  Johnson  as  a  good  omen, 
and  neither  had  any  suspicion  that  a  cloud  was 
gathering  above  their  heads  that  would  soon  mean 
death  to  one  and  an  incarceration  in  prison-walls  for 
the  other. 

"  In  I^ew  York  father  was  known,  and  he  thought 
it  wiser  to  cash  his  check  there  than  wait  until  he 
got  farther  South  ;  so  the  next  morning  he  delayed 
one  train,  and  at  the  opening  of  the  bank  where  he 
was  acquainted  presented  his  check  for  payment. 
The  money  was  handed  him  without  any  hesitation, 
and  two  hours  later  he,  with  his  little  party,  had  re- 
sumed the  journey. 

"  At  Richmond,  Charleston  and  Jacksonville  they 
made  brief  stops,  that  mother  might  rest,  and  it  was 
not  until  the  following  week  that  they  arrived  at 
their  destination.  Imagine,  now,  father's  surprise, 
when  he  registered  at  the  hotel  in  Deland,  to  have 
an  officer  immediately  step  forward  and  arrest  him 
for  forgery  and  theft.  As  soon  as  father  recovered 
his  composure  he  demanded  a  full  explanation  of  the 
outrage,  and  at  whose  instigation  the  charges  had 
been  made.  He  was  completely  overwhelmed  when 
told  that  it  was  Mr.  Johnson,  and  that  he  was 
charged  not  only  with  the  forging  of  the  check,  but 
also  with  taking  a  thousand  dollars  in  cash  from  the 
office  safe. 


98  BUDD  BOTD'S  TRIUMPM. 

"  Father  sent  for  a  lawyer  and  consulted  with  him, 
hoping  to  arrange  the  affair  in  some  way  so  that 
mother  would  have  no  knowledge  of  it,  and  having 
arranged  for  her  comfort,  he  would  then  return  to 
Boston  and  face  the  charges,  sure  that  he  could 
prove  them  false.  But  father  was  a  stranger.  No 
one  was  ready  to  offer  bail  for  him,  and  the  officer 
clamored  for  his  immediate  requisition.  There 
seemed  but  one  alternative.  Mother  must  be  told, 
and  father  return  immediately  to  Boston. 

"When  mother  was  told,  the  shock  seemed  to  give 
her  new  strength,  and  she  declared  she  would  not 
leave  father  while  he  was  in  trouble.  The  whole 
party  started  on  their  return,  therefore,  with  the 
officer.  In  New  York  mother  was  taken  with  a 
hemorrhage,  brought  on,  the  doctors  said,  by  excite- 
ment and  overdoing,  and  in  six  hours  she  was  a 
corpse. 

"I  saw  the  account  of  father's  arrest  in  that 
morning's  paper,  and  a  few  hours  later  got  a  tele- 
gram from  father  announcing  mother's  death,  and 
that  night  met  him  at  the  depot  and  took  charge  of 
the  corpse,  while  the  officer  took  father  to  jail. 

"  The  weeks  that  followed  I  cannot  tell  you  of," 
continued  Budd,  after  a  paroxysm  of  sobs.  Mother 
was  buried,  and  father's  trial  came.  Some  friends 
had  rallied  about  him,  good  counsel  was  secured,  and 
we  hoped  confidently  for  his  acquittal.  Father  told 
his  story  just  as  it  was,  but  Mr.  Johnson  declared 
he  never  either  wrote  the  letter  or  sent  the  check  ; 
and  Bagsley,  who  had  been  an  under-clerk  in  the 


^UDD  BOYD'S  TRItlMPH.  ^0 

office,  and  had  succeeded  to  father's  position,  pro- 
duced bits  of  paper  that  he  declared  he  had  found 
hid  in  the  office,  on  which  there  had  evidently  been 
constant  practice  to  iinitate  the  firm-name.  This 
testimony,  together  with  the  known  facts  that  father 
needed  the  money,  and  was  the  only  clerk  in  the 
office  that  at  that  time  had  access  to  the  safe  and 
check-book,  convicted  him.  His  story,  and  the 
drawing  of  the  check  and  the  sending  of  it  to  the 
house,  were  declared  to  be  simply  plans  on  his  part 
to  cover  his  crimes  in  mother's  and  his  friends'  eyes, 
and  account  to  them  for  the  extra  money  he  pos- 
sessed, until  he  got  safely  out  of*  the  State.  The 
thousand  dollars  that  had  disappeared  from  the  safe 
he  was  supposed  to  have  concealed.  At  the  end, 
those  who  had  claimed  to  be  friends  deserted  him, 
and  Mr.  Johnson  was  openly  complimented  on  the 
promptness  with  which  he  had  acted.  The  Judge 
-  who  presided  at  the  trial  seemed  to  have  caught  the 
popular  belief,  for  he,  when  pronouncing  the  sen- 
tences, said  : 

" '  Had  the  prisoner  confessed  his  guilt  and  thrown 
himself  upon  the  mercy  of  the  Court,  he  might  have 
received  the  Court's  clemency,  since  they  were  his 
first  offenses.  His  obdurateness,  however,  compels 
me  to  make  the  sentences  correspondingly  harsh.  I 
therefore  sentence  him  on  the  first  charge  to  seven 
years,  and  on  the  second  charge  to  five  years,  at 
hard  labor  in  the  State's  prison;  the  second  sentence 
to  begin  when  the  first  has  ended.' 

"It  was  last  January  when  this  took  place.   From 


100  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

that  time  I  knew  not  a  happy  hour  until  I  left  the 
city.  Our  former  friends  refused  to  receive  me  at 
their  homes ;  school-mates  treated  me  coldly  or  met 
me  with  sneers  ;  even  the  lady  with  whom  I  boarded 
told  me  I  must  leave.  I  at  length  determined  to 
seek  a  home  where  I  was  not  known. 

"  The  lawyer  who  had  defended  father  at  his  trial 
seemed  friendly,  and  to  him  I  went.  From  him  I 
learned  that  father  had  returned  to  Mr.  Johnson  the 
five  hundred  dollars  he  had  got  on  the  forged  check, 
and  that  he  had  told  Mr.  Johnson  if  he  ever  lived  to 
get  out  of  prison  he  should  pay  the  other  thousand. 
'  You  believe  I  have  taken  it,'  he  had  said,  '  and  I 
will  not  allow  myself  to  rest  until  you  at  least  are 
convinced  that  I  have  not  a  cent  that  belongs  to 
you.'  The  lawyer  also  added  that  father's  own 
money  had  paid  the  expenses  South  and  return,  and 
also  mother's  funeral  expenses,  but  that  he  had  re- 
ceived no  compensation  for  his  services. 

"Through  him  I  therefore  disposed  of  all  the 
household  goods,  selling  even  my  own,  father's  and 
mother's  watches;  in  fact,  everything  that  would 
sell.  After  paying  the  lawyer  in  full,  and  all  other 
bills,  I  found  I  had  five  hundred  and  four  dollars 
and  seventy-five  cents. 

"I  took  five  hundred  of  this  and  went  to  Mr. 
Johnson's  office.  He  was  not  in,  and  I  sat  down  to 
await  his  coming.  Bagsley  was  at  the  desk  father 
had  occupied  so  long,  and  he  scowled  darkly  at  me. 
I  had  always  felt  that  he  could  tell  all  about  the 
forged  check  and  the  thousand  dollars  if  he  were 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  101 

willing  to  do  so,  and  I  fixed  my  eyes  steadily  upon 
him.  He  grew  uneSsy  at  my  fixed  gaze,  and  evi- 
dently would  have  spoken  to  me  had  not  the  pres- 
ence of  the  other  clerks  prevented, 

"  Mr.  Johnson  soon  came  in,  and  though  he  seemed 
annoyed  to  see  me,  did  not  refuse  my  request  to 
see  him  privately.  Once  in  his  inner  ofiice,  I  took 
out  the  money  I  had  brought  and  handed  it  to 
him. 

" '  I  pay  this  money,  Mr.  Johnson,'  I  said,  '  not 
because  father  ever  took  a  dollar  from  you,  but 
because  you  believe  he  did.  This  five  .hundred 
makes  an  even  thousand.  The  oth§r  five  hundred  I 
will  pay  as  soon  as  I  can  earn  it.  "Will  you  give  me 
a  receipt  for  this?' 

Without  a  word  he  filled  out  the  receipt,  but  on 
handing  it  to  me  he  said,  not  unkindly : 

'"AVill  you  tell  me  who  did  take  it?  If  I  knew 
I  had  wronged  your  father  I  would  not  leave  a 
stone  unturned  until  I  had  made  him  full  amends.' 

"'Of  course  I  have  my  suspicions,'  I  rephed, 
'  but  it  is  another  thing  to  prove  them.' 

" '  Do  you  mean  Bagsley  ?'  he  asked,  lowering  his 
voice  and  tapping  thoughtfully  on.  the  desk  with  his 
fingers. 

"'Mr.  Johnson,"  I  suddenly  cried,  a  light  flashing 
in  upon  my  mind,  'did  you,  the  morning  father 
started  South,  get  a  note  from  him  thanking  you 
for  the  check?'  and  as  he  shook  his  head  in  reply,  I 
went  on:  'Well,  tlie  night  before,  I  mailed  one  to 
you.     Who  opened  your  mail  that  morning?' 


103  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPE. 

"'Bagsley,'  he  replied;  'but  how  did  he  get 
access  to  the  safe,  and  what  could  have  been  his 
motive  in  so  cruelly  wronging  your  father,  if 
guilty?' 

*"I  don't  know  any  more  than  you,'  I  answered, 
turning  to  go.  As  I  laid  my  hand  upon  the  office 
door  it  opened,  and  Bagsley  appeared.  By  the  look 
of  rage  on  his  face  as  he  glanced  at  me  I  knew  he 
had  been  listening  to  our  conversation.  He  walked 
over  to  Mr.  Johnson  with  a  handful  of  papers  he 
wanted  him  to  sign,  and  I  departed. 

"  Going  back  to  the  place  where  I  was  stopping,  I 
remained  all  night,  and  early  the  next  morning  took 
my  pack  and  started  out  of  the  city.  I  had  so  little 
money  I  had  decided  to  walk  to  Providence,  looking 
for  work  all  the  way.  Barely  had  I  turned  the  first 
street  corner  when  I  ran  into  Bagsley.  He  at  once 
recognized  me,  and  catching  me  by  the  arm,  hissed 
out  the  words : 

" '  You  young  rascal !  I've  a  good  mind  to  throttle 
you ;  and  I  will  if  you  ever  come  about  the  office 
again  telling  stories  about  me !'  Then  he  shook  me 
and  hurled  me  from  him  with  a  force  that  sent  me 
into  the  nearest  gutter. 

"Thoroughly  angered  by  the  treatment  I  had 
received,  I  sprung  to  my  feet  and  foolishly  said : 

" '  Bagsley,  it  was  you  who  forged  that  check  and 
sent  it  to  father  to  cover  your  theft  of  the  thousand 
dollars,  and  I'll  prove  it  yet !' 

"He  came  toward  me,  his  eyes  flashing  with  a 
murderous  light  and  his  fists  clinched.     I  expected 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  103 

ah  encounter  with  him  that  would  only  end  in 
serious  injury  to  one  or  the  other  of  us,  and  braced 
myself  for  it.  But  just  then  he  caught  sight  of  a 
gentleman  coming  down  the  street,  and  shaking  his 
fist  in  my  face,  he  muttered : 

" '  The  next'  time  I  meet  you  I'll  kill  you !'  and 
then  he  turned  the  corner  and  disappeared. 

"  I  now  know  by  his  words  here  to-night  that  he 
has  been  looking  for  me,  and  thus  found  out  that  I 
liad  left  the  city.  His  presence  here  indicates  also 
that  he  has  been  discharged  for  some  reason  from 
Mr.  Johnson's  employ,  and  is  allied  with  a  gang  of 
burglars.  This  only  strengthens  my  belief  that  he 
is  guilty  of  the  crimes  for  which  my  father  is  now 
in  prison. 

"  As  to  my  tramp,  it  was  a  long  and  severe  one. 
I  reached  Providence  finall}'^  without  money  and  no 
prospect  of  work.  Every  effort  there  to  secure  a 
job  failed,  and  I  continued  my  tramp.  In  the  vil- 
lage over  here  I  heard  of  Benton,  and  that  he 
wanted  a  lad  about  my  age.  It  was  cold,  a  storm 
threatened,  I  was  hungry,  and  had  nowhere  to  lay 
my  head.  His  offer  I  was  at  the  time  thankful  to 
accept,  and  began  my  work  for  him." 

"  Does  your  father  know  where  you  are  ?"  asked 
Judd,  as  his  partner  finished  and  bowed  his  head 
upon  the  table  to  conceal  the  emotions  the  narrating 
of  his  story  had  awakened. 

"  I  went  to  see  him  before  I  paid  Mr.  Johnson,'' 
Budd  replied  without  raising  his  head,  "and  had  his 
approval  of  my  course.     After  I  hired  out  to  Mr. 


104  BUBl)  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

Benton  I  sent  a  brief  line  to  him  explaining  that  I 
had  found  work.  I  did  not  give  my  address,  for  I 
was  afraid  if  I  got  a  letter  from  the  prison  my 
story  might  come  out,  and  I  should  have  to  seek  a 
home  in  some  other  place.  I  tell  you,  Judd,  it's  a 
heavy  burtlen  I  carry — one  that  will  blight  my 
whole  life,  and  that  has  already,  as  you  see,  changed 
my  whole  future.'' 

"  Yes,  Budd,  I  know  it,"  replied  his  companion ; 
"and  yet  you  know,  and  your  father  knows,  he  is 
innocent,  while  I  know  my  father  is  everything  that 
the  people  of  this  community  may  care  to  call  him. 
Your  mother  was  confident  of  your  father's  inno- 
cence, and  died  before  she  knew  of  his  imprison- 
ment, while  ray  mother  all  her  married  life  had  the 
burden  of  knowing  she  was  married  to  a  brute. 
Surely  there  is  much  yet  for  you  to  be  thankful  for, 
and  perhaps  Bagsley's  presence  here  means  that  you 
are  yet  to  prove  his  guilt  and  set  your  father  free. 
Some  light  has  been  thrown  on  the  matter  by  this 
incident  of  to-night." 

"  You  are  right,  Judd,  and  I  will  take  heart  at 
your  words.  The  darkest  hour  seems  to  have 
passed,  and  light  has  begun  to  come.  I  am  pleas- 
antly situated,  and  can  soon  send  Mr.  Johnson  a 
payment  on  the  last  five  hundred  dollars.  In  some 
way,  too,  Bagsley  may  be  led  to  confess  the  part  he 
has  played,  and  then  father  can  go  free,  and  here 
I'll  have  a  home  to  which  he  can  come  until  we 
plan  for  the  future.  But  whatever  comes,  and  what- 
ever plans  are  made,  there  will  always  be  a  place  for 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH,  105 

you.  Brief  as  the  time  has  been  since  I  knew  you,  I 
love  you  like  a  brother." 

"  We  will  be  brothers,"  Judd  declared.  "  Through 
thick  and  thin  we'll  stand  by  each  other ;"  and  with 
a  hearty  shake  of  the  hands  the  lads  went  to  bed, 
and  were  soon  asleep. 

And  neither  one  for  a  single  moment  supposed 
that  before  the  coming  week  was  over  a  darker 
cloud  and  a  heavier  burden  would  fall  upon  Budd's 
heart,  and  that  Judd's  declaration  would  have  a 
severe  test. 


106  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

AN   UNFORTUNATE   PREDICAMENT. 

THE  YOUNG  partners  on  the  following  day 
talked  over  the  adventure  they  had  had  with 
the  burglars,  and  decided  to  say  nothing  about  the 
affair  to  any  one  else  for  the  present. 

"  Those  fellows  are  up  to  some  crime,"  Budd  had 
declared,  "and  possibly,  if  we  say  nothing  about 
their  visit  here,  but  keep  a  careful  watch  up  and 
down  the  bay,  we  may  discover  what  it  is  and  bring 
them  to  justice. 

"  Once  get  Bagsley  into  jail  charged  with  some 
crime,  and  he  may  be  willing  to  acknowledge  his 
guilt  respecting  the  one  of  which  my  father  has  been 
convicted.  Especially  may  this  be  so  if  he  should 
be  able  to  lighten  his  sentence  on  the  later  charge 
by  a  confession  of  the  first ;  and  if  we  are  the  means 
of  his  and  his  companions'  arrest,  we  may  have  the 
power  to  bring  about  such  an  arrangement.  Then 
my  father's  release  is  certain." 

To  all  of  which  Judd  agreed,  and  from  that  day 
the  lads  became  a  self-appointed  vigilance  committee 
patrolling  the  bay. 

On  both  the  following  Monday  and  Tuesday 
mornings,  when  the  lads  came  to  haul  their  nets  at 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  107 

the  three  pounds,  they  were  delighted  to  find  in 
each  the  largest  catches  of  fish  they  had  yet  made ; 
and  it  was  nearly  dark  on  Tuesday  evening  as  they 
got  into  their  sloop  at  the  village  wharf,  after  ship- 
ping off  the  large  excess  of  fish  they  had  had  over 
the  demand  of  the  home  trade. 

As  Budd  cast  off  the  last  rope  and  stepped  for- 
ward to  hoist  the  sails  of  the  Sea  Witch,  preparatory 
to  a  departure  for  the  island,  a  gentleman  came 
hurriedly  to  the  dock  and  called  out : 

"  Hello,  there,  boys ;  hold  on  a  moment,  I  want 
to  see  you !" 

Judd  threw  the  man  a  rope,  and  the  sloop  was  re- 
fastened  to  the  wharf. 

"Are  you  Boyd  &  Floyd  of  Fox  Island?"  the 
stranger  asked. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  lads. 

"  And  you  sometimes  take  out  sailing-parties,  do 
you  not?"  was  the  next  inquiry;  and  again  the 
young  partners  responded  in  the  affirmative. 

"  I  am  Mr.  Dane,"  continued  the  gentleman,  "  and 
am  over  here  with  a  party  of  friends,  and  we  wish 
you  to  take  us  across  the  bay  to  Bristol  to-morrow. 
Can  you  do  it  ?" 

"  Do  you  wish  tcf  be  simply  taken  over,  or  over 
and  back  ?"  asked  Budd,  as  spokesman  for  the  firm. 

"  Just  landed  there.  We  are  from  that  side,  and 
thought,  instead  of  going  around  by  either  Newport 
or  Providence,  we  would  get  you  to  set  us  over," 
explained  Mr.  Dane. 

"  What  time  do  you  wish  to  go,  and  how  many 


108  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

are  there  in  the  party  ?"  asked  Budd,  with  a  prompt 
business  air. 

"  Six,  with  myself ;  and  we  would  prefer  not  to 
go  until  afternoon,  leaving  here,  say,  about  two 
o'clock." 

Budd  consulted  with  his  partner ;  then  he  said : 

"  Yes,  we  can  take  you  over." 

"What  are  the  charges?"  inquired  Mr.  Dane,  as 
though  the  proposed  trip  depended  greatly  upon 
them. 

"  Three  dollars  for  the  party,"  answered  Budd. 

"  That  is  fifty  cents  each,  and  is  much  less  than  it 
will  cost  us  to  go  around,"  Mr.  Dane  commented  to 
himself. 

Then  he  said  to  the  boys : 

"All  right ;  we'll  give  it." 

"  One  of  us  will  be  here  at  the  appointed  hour,  if 
a  suitable  day  for  the  trip,"  said  Budd,  casting  off 
the  fastenings  of  the  sloop  for  the  second  time ;  and 
a  moment  later  she  was  gliding  down  the  harbor. 

By  half -past  one  o'clock  the  next  day  the  lads  had 
got  their  regular  work  so  well  in  hand  that  Judd 
could  easily  finish  the  balance  by  night,  and  Budd 
entered  the  Sea  Witch  and  sailed  over  to  the  village. 

The  weather  was  delightful,'  and  the  breeze  a 
strong  one,  so  he  tied  up  at  the  village  wharf  five 
minutes  before  the  appointed  hour.  But  the  party 
he  was  to  take  over  the  bay  was  as  prompt  as  him- 
self, and  before  the  town  clock  had  struck  two  all 
were  on  board,  and  the  sloop  had  begun  the  pas- 
sage. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  109 

The  wind  was  a  southerly  one,  and  running  out 
by  the  lighthouse,  Budd  took  his  first  tack  directly 
for  the  lower  end  of  Prudence  Island.  When  he 
reached  that,  and  threw  around  his  tiller  for  his 
second  tack,  it  brought  the  wind  almost  directly 
astern,  and  he  ran  straight  for  Bristol  harbor, 
where  he  safely  landed  his  passengers  in  less  than 
two  hours. 

The  party  were  delighted  with  the  trip,  and 
promptly  paid  the  amount  that  had  been  agreed 
upon.  As  they  turned  away  from  the  landing,  Mr. 
Dane  handed  Budd  one  of  his  business  cards,  say- 
ing: 

"You  see,  I'm  in  the  grocery  business  just  up  the 
street  here.  Whenever  over  this  way,  give  us  a 
call." 

Budd  thanked  the  gentleman  and  put  the  card  in 
his  pocket,  scarcely  realizing  how  soon  it  was  to 
prove  serviceable.     Then  he  said,  laughingly : 

"We  are  in  want  of  some  groceries  at  the  island. 
I  guess  I'll  go  up  to  your  store,  and  see  if  I  can 
trade  better  there  than  at  our  village.  It  will  en- 
able me,  also,  to  go  directly  home  from  here." 

"Come  on;  I  go  by  there  on  my  way  to  the 
house,  and  will  see  that  you  are  fairly  treated," 
said  Mr,  Dane,  in  reply. 

A  few  rods  up  the  street  they  came  to  the  store, 
and  Mr.  Dane  himself  waited  upon  Budd,  and  made 
a  generous  reduction,  as  the  lad  paid  for  the  things. 

Returning  to  the  boat  as  soon  as  his  purchases 
were  made,  Budd  cast  off  the  lines  and  began  his 


liO  BtJDD  BOTlyS  TBIUMPff. 

return  passage.  The  wind,  blowing  as  it  did 
strongly  from  a  southern  quarter,  compelled  him 
to  take  quite  a  different  course  from  the  one  taken 
when  he  had  come  over. 

Once  out  of  Mount  Hope  Bay,  he  ran  for  the 
north  of  Prudence  Island.  Passing  that  on  his  left, 
he  tacked  down  by  Patience  Island  toward  the 
mouth  of  the  Potowomot  River,  on  the  main  shore. 
His  third  tack,  to  the  southeast,  brought  him  under 
the  lee  of  Hope  Island,  and  from  there  he  expected 
to  make  his  last  tack  directly  for  home. 

As  he  came  up  under  Hope  Island,  however,  he 
recalled  the  words  of  Tom  Bagsley  on  the  previous 
Saturday  evening  about  this  island  being  Mr.  John- 
son's summer  residence ;  and  remembering,  also, 
that  Tom  and  his  companions  had  left  Fox  Island 
intending  to  make  Hope  Island  their  rendezvous  for 
a  few  days,  a  strong  desire  took  possession  of  him 
to  land  on  the  island  and  see  if  the  burglars  were 
still  there,  or  had  ransacked  the  house  and  left. 

Like  an  inspiration  the  thought  came  to  him  that 
here  might  be  his  chance  to  bring  a  charge  against 
his  enemy.  If  the  house  had  indeed  been  robbed, 
his  own  and  Judd's  testimony  as  to  the  declaration 
they  had  heard  from  the  robbers'  lips  surely  ought 
to  be  sufficient  to  warrant  their  arrest  for  the  deed. 
He  resolved,  then,  to  land  and  make  an  investiga- 
tion ;  and  if  he  found  traces  of  the  crime,  as  he  felt 
sure  he  would,  then  he  would  report  to  Mr.  John- 
son at  once. 

He  knew  he  was  running  some  danger  of  dis- 


BtlbD  BOti)'S  TRiUMPH.  Hi 

covery  by  a  man  who  would  not  hesitate  to  take  his 
life,  but  he  believed  the  risk  was  very  slight.  If 
the  house  had  been  robbed,  he  argued,  then  the  men 
had  already  departed.  He  believed  this  all  the 
more  strongly  because  it  was  quite  time  for  Mr. 
Johnson  to  come  to  the  island  for  the  summer ;  and 
the  men,  also  knowing  this,  would  not  be  apt  to 
make  a  long  sojourn  there.  So  he  ran  in  as  close  to 
the  island  as  possible  and  anchored  the  sloop.  Then, 
jumping  into  the  yawl,  he  went  on  shore,  and 
climbing  up  the  steep  bank,  started  boldly  across 
the  fields  toward  the  house. 

He  would  have  hesitated  long  before  doing  this, 
however,  had  he  been  aware  that  Mr.  Johnson  had 
only  that  morning  come  to  the  island,  bringing 
some  men  with  him,  to  arrange  for  his  summer 
sojourn ;  and  finding  that  the  house  had  indeed  been 
robbed,  and  believing,  from  unmistakable  evidences, 
that  a  gang  of  men  were  making  the  house  a  place 
of  rendezvous,  he  had  left  everything  just  as  it  had 
been  found,  and  was  lying  in  wait  with  his  men  for 
the  burglars'  return. 

Unconscious  of  all  this,  Budd  went  directly  on  to 
the  house,  and  found  the  shutters  torn  off  from  one 
window  and  the  window  open.  Listening  a  mo- 
ment, and  hearing  no  sound  of  anyone  within  the 
house,  he  leaped  into  the  window  and  began  his 
search  of  the  rooms. 

On  every  side  were  the  signs  of  the  robbers'  pres- 
ence. The  table  was  covered  with  unwashed  dishes, 
beds  had  been  slept  in,  and  drawers  and  closets  torn 


112  BUDD  BOYD'S  TEIUMPB. 

open.  Budd  of  course  could  not  tell  what  had  been 
carried  off,  but  he  felt  sure  that  many  things  had 
been  taken. 

From  down-stairs  he  went  upstairs,  and  wandered 
through  room  after  room  until  convinced  that  the 
burglars  had  left  no  part  of  the  house  unvisited ; 
then  he  retraced  his  steps  to  the  window  by  which 
he  had  entered. 

Exulting  in  his  heart  at  the  discovery  he  had 
made,  for  he  believed  it  was  one  link  in  the  chain 
toward  his  father's  freedom,  and  utterly  unconscious 
of  any  danger  to  himself,  he  put  his  feet  out  of  the 
window  and  lowered  himself  to  the  ground. 

Then  he  heard  hurried  steps  behind  him,  and  a 
loud  shout  close  at  hand  ;  but  before  he  could  turn 
about  and  face  the  unseen  danger  strong  hands 
seized  him  and  a  stern  voice  said : 

"  So  it  is  you,  you  young  rascal,  that  has  been 
robbing  me,  and  this  is  the  place  you  have  got,  but 
cannot  send  me  any  money  until  fall !  Not  until 
you  sell  the  articles  you  have  stolen,  I  suppose !" 

Full  of  consternation,  and  wondering  how  he 
could  explain  the  awkward  predicament  in  which  he 
found  himself,  Budd  turned  and  stood  face  to  face 
with  Mr.  Johnson. 


bTJDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPB.  113 


CHAPTER  Xll. 

budd's  trial. 

FOR  A  moment  Budd  stood  before  the  angry 
man  abashed,  and  not  knowing  what  to  say. 
Then  the  consciousness  of  his  innocence  of  any 
wrong  came  to  his  rescue,  and  he  quietly  said : 

"  Mr.  Johnson,  I  iiave  not  robbed  your  house,  nor 
have  I  ever  been  on  the  island  before  to-day.  If 
you  will  permit  me  to  explain,  I  will  tell  you  how  I 
came  to  be  here." 

"  Kone  of  your  lies  to  me !"  angrily  answered  Mr. 
Johnson.  "  Your  father  tried  that  when  he  robbed 
me,  and  now  you  want  to  make  use  of  the  same 
trick !  But  whatever  story  you  have  got  to  teU  you 
may  tell  in  the  court-room,  as  he  did ;  and,  like  him, 
you'll  find  it  won't  save  you  from  prison-walls ;"  and 
he  checked  every  effort  of  Budd  to  speak. 

"  Bring  a  rope  here,"  he  said  to  one  of  his  men, 
"  and  bind  this  fellow's  arms  behind  his  back,  and 
get  ready  to  go  with  me  over  to  the  west  shore. 
I  shall  want  your  testimony  to  corroborate  mine, 
that  we  found  the  young  rascal  in  the  house.  The 
rest  of  you  can  now  put  the  house  in  order." 

"  How  shall  we  go  over  to  the  main-land  ?"  asked 
the  man,  after  he  had  finished  tying  Budd's  arms. 


114  BUDD  B0YP8  TRIUMPH. 

"We'll  go  in  the  prisoner's  boat,"  replied  Mr. 
Johnson,  "and  Bill,  here,  can  come  over  after  us 
to-morrow  noon.  We  can't  swear  out  a  warrant 
and  have  the  boy  tried  before  that  time." 

With  Budd  between  them,  the  two  men  now 
proceeded  down  to  the  shore  where  the  yawl  was 
lying,  and  pushing  her  off,  went  on  board  the  sloop. 

Scarcely  had  Mr.  Johnson  got  on  board  the  Sea 
Witch,  however,  when  he  noticed  the  bundles  Budd 
had  put  on  board  at  Bristol,  and  he  directed  his 
man  to  examine  them. 

"They  contain  a  ham,  some  crackers,  cheese  and 
sugar,"  he  reported. 

"  There  is  another  proof  of  your  guilt !"  said  Mr. 
Johnson,  sternly,  to  Budd.  "  You  had  brought 
along  your  provisions  for  another  sojourn  at  the 
house." 

"  Then  why  did  I  not  carry  them  up  there  ?"  re- 
torted Budd. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  at  first  puzzled  for  an  answer, 
but  at  length  said  : 

"  You  must  have  had  accomplices,  and  it  may  be 
you  ox\\y  stopped  at  the  house  while  on  your  way  to 
your  present  rendezvous  to  see  what  else  you  could 
find." 

"  But  I  had  nothing  when  I  got  out  of  the  win- 
dow," replied  Budd. 

Then  he  added,  earnestly : 

"  If  you  will  just  let  me  explain,  Mr.  Johnson,  you 
will  see  that  I  had  good  reason  for  being  on  your 
island." 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIXIMPB.  115 

"  Very  likely,"  said  Mr.  Johnson,  with  a  sarcasm 
that  stun^  the  lad  to  the  quick.  But  there  is  just 
one  chance  I'll  give  you.  If  you  will  tell  where 
the  rest  of  your  gang  is,  and  help  us  to  capture 
them,  I'll  do  my  best  to  save  you;  otherwise  the 
law  must  take  its  course." 

"How  can  I,  when  I  have  no  accomplices  and 
have  not  robbed  you  ?"  asked  Budd,  out  of  patience 
with  the  obstinacy  of  the  angry  man. 

"  The  saying  that  'A  lie  well  stuck  to  is  as  good 
as  the  truth'  won't  apply  in  your  case,  at  least," 
remarked  Mr.  Johnson,  with  rising  anger ;  and  for 
the  remainder  of  the  passage  he  in  no  way  addressed 
his  prisoner. 

Arriving  at  the  village  which  Budd  had  left  only 
five  hours  before  under  such  happy  circumstances, 
Mr.  Johnson  left  him  on  the  boat,  with  the  hired 
man  to  look  out  for  him,  while  he  went  in  search  of 
the  proper  authorities  to  perfect  the  lad's  arrest. 
He  had  no  difficulty  in  finding  the  officers,  and  at 
eight  o'clock  Budd  had  been  put  into  the  village 
lock-up,  with  his  preliminary  trial  before  the  local 
justice  assigned  for  ten  o'clock  the  next  day. 

But  Budd  was  in  no  sense  desponding ;  his  head 
was  never  clearer,  nor  had  he  ever  thought  more 
rapidly  or  planned  better  to  meet  a  grave  emergency. 
He  was  growing  older  and  wiser  very  fast.  He 
knew,  moreover,  what  were  his  rights. 

"  Mr.  Avery,"  he  had  said  to  the  constable,  as  he 
was  about  to  leave  him  for  the  night,  "I  want  Mr. 
John  Benton  and  Peter  Wright  subpoenaed  to  ap- 


lie  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

pear  as  witnesses  for  me  in  the  morning.  I  also 
want  a  messenger  sent  over  to  Fox  Island  for  Judd 
Floyd.  Mr.  Ben  Taylor  will  go,  and  my  boat,  as 
you  know,  is  at  the  wharf.  Please  hurry  this  part 
of  my  request,  for  I  have  got  to  send  Judd  over  to 
Bristol  before  my  trial.  Of  course  I  will  pay  all 
necessary  expenses." 

Mr.  Avery  promised  to  attend  to  these  matters, 
and  evidently  did  so  at  once,  for  at  nine  o'clock  he 
appeared  again  with  Judd  Floyd,  and  also  announced 
that  the  two  witnesses  named  had  had  due  notice  to 
appear  at  the  trial. 

As  soon  as  Judd  and  he  were  left  alone  Budd 
took  Mr.  Dane's  card  from  his  pocket,  and  asked 
his  chum  if  he  would  go  over  to  Bristol  for  that 
gentleman  and  bring  him  over  as  a  witness. 

"  I  shall  prove,"  he  said,  "  that  I  have  never  been 
on  Hope  Island  before  this  afternoon,  and  that  will 
clear  me  from  the  charge  brought  against  me ;  for 
Mr.  Johnson  has  not  put  into  his  warrant  that  I 
robbed  the  house  to-day,  as  he  knew  such  a  charge 
could  not  be  sustained,  but  that  I  committed  the 
burglary  some  time  between  the  1st  of  April  (when 
he  was  last  on  there)  and  to-day. 

"I  shall,  of  course,  depend  upon  you  as  the  prin- 
cipal witness  as  to  my  residing  on  Fox  Island. 

"  Mr.  "Wright  and  Mr.  Benton  can  testify  as  to 
where  I  was  previous  to  my  joining  you,  and  Mr. 
Dane  can  testify  that  I  did  not  go  to  Hope  Island 
while  with  him  ;  that  I  bought  my  provisions  there 
for  our  use  on  Fox  Island ;  and  that  I  did  not  leave 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  II7 

there  until  after  four  o'clock  to-daj^  Perhaps  it  is 
not  really  necessary  to  have  Mr.  Dane's  testimony, 
but  I  had  rather  he  would  be  here,  and  you  can  tell 
him  that  I  will  pay  his  expenses,  and  also  pay  him 
for  his  time." 

"  I'll  bring  him  back,  sure,"  promised  Judd,  rising 
to  go. 

Then  he  drew  near  to  Budd  and  whispered : 

"  Shall  you  allude  to  the  visit  of  Bagsley  and  his 
gang  to  Fox  Island,  and  what  they  said  about  Hope 
Island  ?  That  will  be  an  important  item,  but  it  will 
give  them  the  clew  we  are  trying  to  follow  up." 

"  No,  it  won't  be  necessary  to  mention  that.  At 
the  worst  they  can  only  bind  me  over  to  a  higher 
court,  and  before  that  trial  can  come  off  I  believe 
we  shall  have  found  Bagsley,  and  that  will  clear  me, 
I  don't  see  how,  after  I  have  proved  I  was  never  on 
the  island  before  to-day,  they  can  hold  me  a  single 
moment." 

Judd  held  the  same  opinion,  and  hurried  off  to 
carry  out  his  partner's  request. 

At  ten  o'clock  the  next  morning  the  little  village 
court-room  was  crowded,  for  criminal  trials  were  a 
novelty  then,  and  Budd's  case  had  awakened  a  good 
deal  of  curiosity. 

The  Trial  Justice  was  a  little,  fussy  man,  knowing 
far  more  about  his  grocery  store  down  the  street 
than  he  did  about  law ;  but  he  had  put  on  a  pom- 
pous air,  and  tried  to  manifest  a  dignity  equal  to  the 
important  occasion. 

Mr.  Johnson  and  man  were  there,  and  with  them 


118  BUDB  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

the  one  lawyer  the  village  afforded  as  Prosecuting 
Attorney.  It  looked  as  though  Mr.  Johnson  was 
afraid  he  could  not  prove  his  case,  and  had  sought 
all  the  possible  help  he  at  that  short  notice  could 
obtain. 

Budd's  witnesses  were  all  there  also,  Judd  and  Mr. 
Dane  having  arrived  an  hohr  before,  and  Mr.  Ben- 
ton and  Mr.  Wright  having  come  in  as  the  court 
was  called. 

Budd  was  his  own  lawyer,  and  from  his  smiling 
face  one  would  have  thought  he  felt  fully  able  to 
cope  with  the  attorney  for  the  prosecution. 

When  the  charge  was  read,  the  lad  in  loud,  clear 
tones,  answered  "  Not  guilty,"  and  the  trial  began. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  the  first  witness,  and  he  stated 
briefly  the  condition  in  which  he  had  found  his 
house  on  arriving  there  the  morning  before,  and  how 
he  had  laid  in  wait  for  the  return  of  the  burglars. 
He  described  Budd's  appearance,  his  entrance  to  the 
house,  and  his  capture.  As  he  ended  his  testimony, 
the  lawyer,  evidently  having  been  previously  in- 
structed, asked : 

"  Have  you  ever  seen  the  prisoner  previous  to  the 
time  of  his  capture  ?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  Mr.  Johnson.  "  I  have  known  him, 
and  his  father  before  him,  for  years." 

"  Where  is  his  father  ?"  asked  the  lawyer. 

"I  object  to  that  question,"  cried  Budd,  jumping 
to  his  feet,  his  cheeks  all  aflame  with  indignation. 

Before  the  Justice  could  give  his  ruling  the  an- 
swer had  been  given,  loud  and  clear : 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  119 

"  In  the  Massachusetts  State  Prison,  serving  out 
a  twelve  years'  sentence  for  forgery  and  theft." 

Budd  sunk  back  in  his  chair  sick  at  heart,  and  al- 
most in  despair.  The  mischief  had  been  done,  and 
the  crowd  knew  the  dread  secret  he  had  so  long  hid 
within  his  own  bosom.  He  felt  for  a  moment  that 
he  would  have  been  glad  to  have  had  the  prison- 
walls  close  around  him,  too,  shutting  him  from  the 
gaze  of  all  eyes. 

Nor  was  the  answer  lost  in  its  influence  on  the 
Justice. 

"  I  think,"  he  said,  slowly,  "  that  anything  that 
throws  light  on  the  prisoner's  previous  life  or  train- 
ing will  be  in  order  here.  It  will  help  the  Court  to 
decide  whether  he  would  have  been  likely  to  commit 
the  crime  with  which  he  is  charged ;"  and  the  man 
tried  to  conceal  the  curiosity  which  was  already- 
beaming  from  his  face. 

Without  further  interruption  Mr.  Johnson  told 
his  side  of  the  story,  with  which  the  reader  is  al- 
ready familiar,  and  left  the  stand,  having  given 
Justice  and  audience  alike  the  impression  that  Mr. 
Boyd  was  a  most  hardened  criminal,  and  that  the 
son  was  already  following  in  his  father's  foot- 
steps. 

His  hired  man  then  took  the  stand,  and  corrobo- 
rated his  employer's  testimony  respecting  the  bur- 
glary and  the  capture  of  the  prisoner.  Then  the 
prosecution  rested  its  case. 

"While  Mr.  Johnson  was  telling  about  Budd's 
father  the  lad  sat  with  head  bowed,  and  appeared 


laO  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

to  no  longer  care  what  became  of  himself ;  but  just 
before  the  hired  man  finished  his  testimony  Judd 
leaned  over  and  whispered  in  his  comrade's  ear : 

"  For  your  father's  sake,  make  a  defense." 

He  could  not  have  whispered  more  effective 
words.  Budd  at  once  raised  his  head  and  proudly 
faced  the  Court,  and  when  the  prosecution  had 
done  he  rose  quickly  to  his  feet. 

"  The  charge  with  w^hich  I  am  accused,"  he  said, 
taking  the  paper  up,  "reads  that  I  entered  Mr. 
Johnson's  house  some  time  between  April  1st  and 
yesterday,  June  20th.  It  does  not  specify  any 
charge  for  yesterday  at  all,  as  I  forced  no  entrance 
into  the  house,  nor  took  anything  away.  I  shall, 
then,  prove  to  this  Court  that  previous  to  yesterday 
I  had  never  been  upon  Hope  Island.  I  will  also  tell 
why  I  w^ent  there." 

With  these  words  he  called  Mr.  Benton  as  his  first 
witness,  Mr.  Wright  followed,  and  then  Judd 
Floyd  and  Mr,  Dane  came  in  the  order  named. 

All  swore  positively  that  if  the  prisoner  had  been 
upon  Hope  Island  during  the  specific  time  each  was 
caUed  to  testify  to,  they  would  certainly  have  known 
it. 

Judd,  realizing  that  his  partner's  liberty  depended 
largely  upon  his  testimony,  with  note-book  in  hand 
told  where,  from  day  to  day,  he  and  Budd  had  been, 
and  what  they  had  done.  The  testimony  was  abso- 
lute, and  should  have  been  conclusive. 

Budd  then  had  himself  put  under  oath,  and  testi- 
fied that  though  he  knew  Hope  Island  was  Mr. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  121 

Johnson's  summer  residence,  no  thought  had  ever 
come  to  him  to  visit  it  until  the  previous  afternoon, 
when  he  found  himself  near  the  island. 

"I  then  felt,"  he  continued,  ''a  curiosity  to  see 
the  place,  and  landing,  went,  as  they  have  testified, 
boldly  across  the  fields,  because  I  had  nothing  to  be 
ashamed  of.  Finding  a  window  open,  I  at  once 
concluded  that  burglars  had  been  there,  and  I  went 
in  to  see  to  what  extent  the  property  had  been 
injured,  and  it  was  my  purpose  to  report  to  Mr. 
Johnson  at  once  the  crime  that  had  been  committed. 
Now  I  would  like  Mr.  Johnson  to  be  put  upon  the 
stand,  that  I  may  ask  him  a  few  questions." 

Mr.  Johnson,  with  evident  reluctance,  took  the 
witness-chair  for  his  cross-examination. 

"  How  long  had  my  father  worked  for  you  pre- 
vious to  the  crime  he  is  said  to  have  committed  ?" 

"  Fifteen  or  sixteen  years,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Why  did  you  keep  him  so  long  in  your  employ  ?" 
Budd  now  asked. 

"I  object,"  said  the  Prosecuting  Attorney. 

"  Your  Honor,"  said  Budd,  "  the  prosecution  have 
tried  to  injure  my  character  to-day  by  telling  about 
my  father.  They  have  told  only  evil.  I  wish  now 
to  show  there  is  some  good."   . 

"  I  don't  know  as  Mr.  Johnson  is  obliged  to  answer 
these  questions,"  said  the  Justice,  nodding  blandly 
to  the  wealthy  man,  "  but  he  may,  if  he  chooses." 

"I  decline  to  answer,"  said  Mr.  Johnson,  after 
consulting  with  his  attorney. 

"  I  will  ask  the  witness  one  other  question — one 


122  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

with  reference  to  myself — with  the  Court's  per- 
mission," said  Budd. 

"  Have  I  not,  Mr.  Johnson,  paid  you  a  portion  of 
the  money  you  claim  my  father  took  from  you  ?" 

"  I  decline  to  answer  that  question  also,"  replied 
Mr.  Johnson,  noticing  that  his  attorney  shook  his 
head  negatively. 

"  May  I  then  put  in  this  paper  as  testimony  ?" 
asked  Budd,  taking  a  slip  from  his  pocket  and  ex- 
tending it  toward  the  Justice.  "  It  is  Mr.  Johnson's 
receipt  for  five  hundred  dollars  that  I  paid  him  last 
March." 

"I  hardly  think  it  would  be  proper,"  said  the 
Justice,  looking  toward  Mr.  Johnson  ix>v  his  ap- 
proval of  the  ruling. 

"  I  then  rest  my  case,"  said  Budd,  shortly,  and 
with  some  show  of  indignation. 

The  Prosecuting  Attorney  now  began  his  argu- 
ment. He  dwelt  mainly  upon  the  facts  that  Budd 
had  been  found  where  he  ought  not  to  have  been, 
and  that  Judd  Floyd,  as  his  partner,  was  of  course 
interested  in  acquitting  the  prisoner.  Though  that 
witness  had  shown  where  he  and  the  accused  were 
in  the  daytime  since  May  20th,  he  had  failed  to  show 
where  they  were  in  the  nights,  and  the  burglary 
had  doubtless  been  committed  in  the  night  time; 
burglaries  usually  were.  He  concluded  by  remind- 
ing the  Justice  that  it  was  not  for  him  to  find  the 
prisoner  guilty;  but  if,  in  his  judgment,  he  thought 
there  was  a  probability  of  his  guilt,  it  was  his  duty 
to  bind  him  over  to  a  higher  court, 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  123 

Budd,  already  aware  that  the  Justice  seemed  to 
favor  the  prosecution,  simply  stated  in  his  argu- 
ment for  the  defense  what  he  had  proved  by  his  wit- 
nesses, and  that  that  acquitted  him  of  the  special 
charo^e  included  in  the  warrant.  He  alluded  to  the 
general  good  character  he  had  borne  since  he  came 
into  the  neighborhood,  and  concluded  with  the 
words : 

'*  I  am  innocent  of  the  crime  Avith  which  I  am 
accused.  My  father  is  also  innocent  of  the  crime 
for  which  he  is  in  prison  to-day.  One  link  in  the 
chain  of  establishing  his  innocence  I  have  already  dis- 
covered. Whatever  may  be  the  decision  of  the  Court 
to-day  respecting  myself,  as  sure  as  there  is  a  just 
God  in  Heaven,  a  few  weeks  more  will  see  every 
shadow  of  disgrace  swept  away  from  our  names." 

So  positive  were  the  lad's  tones,  so  triumphant  his 
gestures,  so  confident  his  looks,  that  many  of  the 
audience  were  thrilled  as  though  they  heard  a  voice 
of  prophecy — a  prophecy  soon  to  be  fulfilled. 

The  Justice  may  himself  have  felt,  somewhat,  the 
influence  of  the  lad's  declaration,  for  he  gathered  up 
his  papers  with  an  unsteady  hand,  and  looked  un- 
easily about  the  room  and  into  the  upturned  faces 
waiting  for  his  decision.  The  stillness  grew  op- 
pressive. Finally  the  eye  of  the  Justice  rested  upon 
Mr.  Johnson,  who  was  gazing  expectantly  up  into 
the  little  man's  face,  and  the  great  and  wealthy 
man's  wish  became  the  law  of  the  baser  one's 
soul : 

"  J  think,"  he  said,  speaking  sharply  and  looking 


124  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

directly  at  Mr.  Johnson,  "  there  is  sufficient  proba- 
bility of  the  prisoner's  guilt  to  warrant  my  binding 
him  over  to  the  higher  court,  which  meets  at  the 
county  seat  in  November," 

Then,  to  Budd : 

"  I'll  fix  your  bond  at  one  thousand  dollars,  and 
unless  you  can  furnish  a  bondsman  I  will  have  to 
commit  you  to  the  county  jail  to  await  your  trial." 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  125 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

ME.  Benton's  little  game. 

BUDD  was  partially  prepared  for  the  Trial  Jus- 
tice's decision,  as  it  was  but  the  natural  result 
of  the  bias  he  had  shown  in  his  rulings ;  but  the  ex- 
cessive amount  of  the  bond  astonished  him  and 
filled  him  with  alarm.  He  had  thought,  in  case  he 
was  bound  over  to  the  higher  court,  the  bond  would 
be  fixed  at  a  few  hundred  dollars,  and  that  some  of 
his  or  Judd's  friends  would  be  willing  to  become 
surety  for  so  small  an  amount ;  but  when  the  J  us- 
tice  named  the  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars  he  felt 
there  was  but  one  alternative — he  must  go  to  jail. 

His  alarm  at  the  prospect  was  not  due  so  much  to 
the  fact  that  he  shrunk  from  confinement  in  the 
jail  as  that  the  confinement  would  defeat  his  whole 
plans.  Just  as  he  had  some  hope  of  proving  his 
father's  innocence,  and  of  rescuing  him  from  an  un- 
just imprisonment,  his  hopes  were  to  be  ruthlessly 
crushed,  his  purpose  thwarted,  and  he  himself  stig- 
matized as  a  criminal.  It  was  with  diflBculty  that 
he  could  restrain  the  hot  tears  that  were  struggling 
to  flow. 

The  Justice  had  been  rapidly  filling  out  a  paper 
since  he  had  rendered  his  decision,  and  now  he 
looked  up : 


1^6  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRWMPB. 

"  Your  bond  is  ready,"  he  said.  "  Whom  do  you 
name  for  bondsman  ?" 

"I  have  none,"  faltered  the  lad,  "unless  some 
gentleman  here  will  give  bond  for  me." 

Mr.  Wright,  who  sat  near  the  boy,  felt  that  this 
touching  appeal  was  meant  for  him,  and  at  once 
there  began  a  struggle  in  his  heart.  He  had  always 
liked  Budd.  So  far  as  he  knew,  Budd  had  always 
been  perfectly  honorable ;  and  he  could  not  help 
thinking  the  lad  had  established  his  innocence  be- 
yond a  shadow  of  a  doubt.  Still  Mr.  Johnson's  tes- 
timony as  to  the  father's  character  had  had  its  in- 
fluence upon  him,  and  he  was  not  quite  sure  it  would 
be  just  wise  to  become  the  boy's  bondsman.  While 
he  hesitated,  he  and  the  others  in  the  court-room 
were  surprised  to  hear  a  voice  say : 

"  I'll  sign  his  bond." 

The  speaker  was  Mr.  Benton,  and  that  gentleman 
walked  forward  to  the  Justice's  stand  and  deliber- 
ately wrote  his  name  across  the  paper. 

"  I  guess  that'll  stand  the  law,"  he  remarked ;  and 
before  Budd  could  even  thank  him  he  strode  from 
the  court-room,  as  though  ashamed  of  his  act. 

No  sooner  had  he  disappeared  than  Mr.  Wright 
walked  up  to  the  Justice's  desk,  saying,  quietly : 

"  Put  my  name  on  the  bond  also.  Two  bondsmen 
are  better  than  one ;"  and  he  wrote  his  name  under 
that  of  Mr.  Benton's. 

Then,  crossing  over  to  Budd's  side,  he  shook 
hands  with  him,  remarking : 

"Mr.  Benton  got  the  start  of  me;  but  I  have 


^ITDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPS.  Ig-J- 

shown  my  good-will,  all  the  same.  Shall  we  go, 
now  ?" 

Budd  thought,  by  hi^  look  more  than  his  words, 
that  he  desired  to  see  him  alone,  and  so  followed 
him  out  of  the  court-room. 

When  they  reached  the  street,  Mr.  "Wright  took 
Budd  by  the  arm  and  led  him  away  from  the  throng 
that  was  pouring  out  of  the  building,  and  said  : 

"  Look  out  for  Mr.  Benton.  His  name  on  your  bond 
to-day  means  mischief.  I  don't  know  what  game  he 
is  about  to  play,  but  by  putting  my  own  there  I  hope 
to  baffle  him." 

Before  Budd  could  express  his  surprise  at  Mr. 
Wright's  words  they  were  joined  by  Judd  and  Mr. 
Dane.  That  gentleman  shook  hands  with  the  re- 
leased lad  and  said : 

"  Had  I  been  known  to  the  Justice  I  should  have 
offered  myself  for  your  bondsman,  though  you 
should  never  have  needed  one.  How  in  the  world 
that  thick-headed  Justice  could  have  given  such  a 
decision  is  a  mystery  to  me.     I " 

But  what  the  speaker  was  to  have  said  was  cut 
short  by  a  nudge  from  Judd. 

Mr.  Johnson  and  the  Justice  were  passing,  and 
that  his  words  had  been  heard  was  only  too  evident 
by  Mr.  Johnson's  frown  and  the  Justice's  ridiculous 
action, 

"  I  fine  you  ten  dollars  for  contempt  of  court,"  he 
said,  angrily,  stopping  and  facing  Mr.  Dane. 

"  I  believe  your  court  is  adjourned,  and  I  am  on 
the  public  highway,  expressing  my  private  opinion  to 


138  BiJDi)  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

friends,"  replied  Mr.  Dane,  coolly.  "But  I  am  not 
surprised  at  your  want  of  jdHgmelit.  It  is  only  on  a 
par  with  that  you  showed\m  rhe  court- room,  and 
suggests  the  fact  that  this  toAvn''%  sadly  in  need  of 
at  least  one  new  Justice." 

A  laugh  from  the  gathering  crowd  sent  the  hot 
blood  to  the  Justice's  face,  and  catching  some  idea 
of  the  foolish  position  into  which  he  had  allowed 
himself  to  be  drawn  by  his  anger,  he  hurried  off 
down  the  street. 

"  Will  you  return  to  Bristol  at  once  ?"  Budd  asked. 
"  If  so,  we  will  arrange  to  take  you  over." 

"  No,"  replied  Mr.  Dane ;  "  I  have  business  in 
Providence,  and  will  go  round  that  way.  Good-by ;" 
and  refusing  to  take  the  slightest  compensation  foj" 
coming  over  as  a  witness,  he  shook  hands  with  Mr. 
Wright  and  the  lads  and  departed. 

Budd  spoke  a  few  words  in  a  low  tone  to  his  part- 
ner ;  then  he  said  to  Mr.  Wright : 

"  Can  you  go  over  to  the  island  with  us  ?  There 
is  something  special  we  wish  to  talk  over  with 
you." 

"  My  man  is  down  here  with  me,  and  can  drive  the 
.team  along  to  'The  Hummocks'  and  wait  for  me 
there,  if  you  will  put  me  ashore  after  this  matter  is 
talked  over,"  answered  Mr.  Wright. 

The  lads  consented  to  that  arrangement  gladl}^,  and 
a  few  minutes  later,  with  Mr.  Wright  on  board  the 
sloop  with  them,  they  sailed  for  home. 

As  soon  as  they  were  a  short  distance  off  shore, 
Budd  left  his  partner  to  look  out  for  the  boat,  and  in 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRTUMPH.  129 

low  tones  told  Mr.  Wright  the  true  story  of  his 
father's  trial  and'  imprisonment.  He  then  related 
Judd's  and  his  own  experience  with  Bagsley  and  his 
companions,  and  stated  that  this  was  the  real  pur- 
pose that  called  him  over  to  Hope  Island. 

"  Why  didn't  you  tell  this  in  the  court-room  ?  It 
would  have  acquitted  you,"  said  Mr.  Wright,  in  as- 
tonishment. 

"  Because  the  burglars  are  still  around  here  con- 
templating some  more  daring  crime,  and  we  are 
watching  for  them,  and  hope  to  cause  their  arrest," 
explained  Budd,  going  on  to  relate  how  he  believed 
this  would  react  in  his  father's  favor. 

"  What  we  want  of  you,"  continued  Budd,  "  is  to 
c<Sm^  over  to  the  island  and  see  the  window,  with  its 
cut  pane,  and  the  lantern  the  burglars  left  behind, 
so  that  you  can  testify  as  to  these  facts  at  the  trial 
before  the  higher  court." 

A  few  moments  later  the  island  was  reached,  and 
Mr.  Wright  was  taken  from  point  to  point,  the 
whole  story  of  that  night's  experience  was  told 
anew,  .and  the  evidence  of  it  exhibited. 

"  I  wish  you  all  success  in  your  plans,"  Mr.  Wright 
said,  as  he  got  into  the  yawl  to  be  taken  over  to 
"  The  Hummocks,"  where  the}'^  could  see  his  team 
was  already  waiting.  "But  don't  run  into  any 
danger ;  and  as  soon  as  you  locate  the  rascals,  notify 
the  authorities  without  waiting  for  them  to  commit 
any  other  crime.  Their  visit  here  and  over  at 
Hope  Island  is  enough  to  send  them  up  for  a  long 
term  of  years." 


130  BUDD  BOYD'S  TBIXTMPH. 

As  he  parted  with  them  on  the  main  shore  he 
said  to  Budd : 

"I  ought  to  tell  you  that  for  a  few  minutes  I 
hesitated  about  becoming  your  bondsman,  and  Mr. 
Benton's  act  led  me  to  a  decision.  I  now  thoroughly 
believe  in  your  and  your  father's  innocence,  and 
shall  stand  by  you,  whatever  comes.  Only,  look 
out  for  Mr.  Benton." 

"  What  does  he  mean  ?"  asked  Judd,  as  the  sloop 
started  down  the  bay  to  visit  the  pounds,  which  the 
incidents  of  the  morning  had  till  then  prevented. 

"  He  is  sure  Mr.  Benton  did  not  sign  my  bond 
from  any  good  motive ;  and  I  confess  it  does  seem 
queer,  come  to  think  of  it.  What  do  you  suppose 
he  is  up  to  ?" 

"  I  don't  know  any  more  than  you  do,"  responded 
his  chum;  "but,  like  Mr.  Wright,  I  distrust  him. 
And  there  is  one  thing  you  may  be  sure  of.  If  he 
is  up  to  any  game  he  will  show  himself  very  soon  ; 
he  isn't  going  to  give  you  time  to  run  away  and 
make  him  pay  that  thousand  dollars.  You  see,  he 
don't  know  Mr.  Wright  signed  the  bond  also,  for  he 
had  left  the  court-room  before  that  was  done." 

"That's  so,"  said  Budd,  thoughtfully ;  "and  I 
think,  with  you,  we  shall  hear  from  him  before  a 
great  while,  if  his  act  sprung  from  any  sinister 
motive." 

"There  is  your  man,"  Judd  announced  a  few 
hours  later,  as  they  approached  their  wharf ;  and 
Mr.  Benton  was  indeed  sitting  on  the  dock,  await- 
ing their  coming. 


^ITDD  BOYD'S  TRtliMPIt.  131 

"  How  are  you,  boys,  and  what  luck  with  your 
fish  V  he  reuiarlved  pleasaiitl\^,  as  they  came  ashore. 

The  young  partners  responded  good-naturedly, 
and  he  watched  them  as  they  sorted  and  put  their 
fish  into  the  "  cars." 

"  My,  what  a  large  one !"  he  exclaimed,  as  Budd 
picked  up  a  six-pound  mackerel,  and  was  about  to 
toss  it  into  the  proper  "  car." 

"  Would  you  like  it  V  asked  the  lad ;  and  as  Mr. 
Benton  gave  assent  he  tossed  it  into  the  man's  boat, 
which  had  been  fastened  near  by. 

"  Have  you  been  here  long  waiting  for  us  ?"  Judd 
asked,  with  a  wink  at  his  chum. 

"Well,  yes,"  responded  Mr.  Benton.  "I  come 
over  here  'bout  as  soon  as  I  could  after  I  went  home 
from  the  village ;  but  you'd  gone." 

"  We  hadn't  been  to  the  pounds  to-day,  and  so 
hurried  off  to  them,"  explained  Budd. 

"  I  thought  that  was  it,"  said  Mr.  Benton,  fol- 
lowing the  lads  on  to  the  house. 

"  Come  in  and  take  supper  with  us,"  asid  Budd. 

"  I  don't  know  but  I  will,  seeing  I  have  a  little 
business  with  ye." 

Judd  gave  his  partner  a  significant  look. 

Supper  was  soon  ready,  and  they  sat  down  at  the 
table.  Mr.  Benton  showed  that  whatever  h's  busi- 
ness with  them  was  he  had  not  lost  his  appetite,  and 
a  half-hour  elapsed  before  the  meal  was  finished. 
Then  Budd  led  the  way  into  the  sitting-room,  and 
showing  Mr.  Benton  to  a  chair,  ventured  to  hasten 
matters  by  asking : 


13^  ^VDD  SOTD'S  TRItlMPS. 

"  What  is  your  business,  Mr.  Benton  ?" 

"Ahem !  ahem !"  said  he,  as  though  clearing  his 
throat  from  some  impediment.  "  I  signed  yer  bond 
fer  ye  to-day,  Budd,  or  else  ye'd  now  be  on  yer  way 
to  Kingston  jail.     Hev  ye  thought  o'  that  ?" 

"  Do  you  really  think  so  V^  responded  Budd,  and 
waiting  for  Mr.  Benton  to  go  on. 

"  Yes,  ye  would,"  said  the  man,  shortly ;  "  an'  ye 
know  it,  well  as  I  do." 

"  It  was  very  good  of  you,"  said  the  boy,  mean- 
ingly. 

"An'  I  thought,  as  I'd  done  ye  the  favor,  ye  might 
pay  me  back  that  thirty  dollers  that  don't  belong  to 
ye,"  said  the  miser,  coming  to  the  point  of  his  busi- 
ness with  Budd. 

"  Why  should  I  ?  It  belonged  to  me,  not  to  you," 
Budd  retorted. 

"No  it  don't,  either.  Ye  have  quit  work,  an' 
'cordin'  to  the  barg'in  it  never  did  belong  to  ye." 

"  What  will  you  do  if  I  don't  pay  it  ?"  asked 
Budd,  as  though  yielding. 

"  I'll  go  an'  cancel  the  bond,  an'  have  ye  in  jail 
'fore  mornin',"  he  said,  savagely. 

"And  if  I  do  pay  it  you  will  cancel  the  bond,  just 
the  same,  and  land  me  in  jail.  Confess,  now,  that's 
your  game,"  remarked  Budd,  seeing  through  Mr. 
Benton's  purpose. 

The  man  twisted  in  his  chair. 

"  Ye'd  better  pay  it,"  he  finally  said. 

"  Not  one  cent,"  replied  Budd,  decidedly. 

"  Then  I'll  go  to  the  village  right  off  an'  cancel 


BITDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  133 

the  bond,  an'  bring  down  the  officer,"  declared  Mr. 
Benton,  grabbing  up  his  hat  and  starting  for  the 
door. 

With  a  laugh  Budd  and  his  partner  followed  the 
man  to  his  boat. 

He  got  into  it  and  rowed  off  a  rod  or  two  from 
the  shore ;  then  he  paused  and  said : 

"  Ye'd  better  change  yer  mmd,  Budd." 

"  How  do  you  know  I'll  be  here  when  you  get 
back  ?"  asked  Budd,  mischievously.  "  I  can  take  the 
sloop  and  be  miles  away  from  here  before  you  get 
to  the  village." 

"  Judd,  ye  hold  on  to  him !"  cried  the  man  in 
alarm ;  "  I  command  ye  in  the  name  o'  the  law  to 
do  so !" 

Judd  laughed,  and  catching  the  spirit  of  mischief 
Budd  had  displayed,  asked : 

"  What'll  you  give  me,  if  I  do  ?" 

"  A  doUer,"  said  Mr.  Benton,  with  some  hesita- 
tion. 

"  Oh !  Budd  will  give  me  more  than  that  to  let 
him  go,"  replied  Judd,  "and  you  will  have  the 
thousand  dollars  to  pay !" 

"  I'll  give  ye  five  dollers,"  cried  Mr.  Benton,  in 
alarm. 

"  Budd  will  give  ten  to  go  free,"  was  the  answer. 

"  I'll  give  ye  'leven,"  said  the  man,  desperately ; 
and  in  his  eagerness  he  rowed  back  inshore. 

"  Where's  the  money  ?  It  must  be  cash  down," 
said  Judd,  seriously. 

"  I  left  my  money  at  home  'fore  I  come  down 


134  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

here,"  explained  the  man,  "  fer  I  didn't  know  what 
ye  fellers  might  do ;  but  I'll  pay  ye  to-morrow," 

Before  Judd  could  make  answer,  Budd,  pitying 
the  man,  said : 

"  I  promise  not  to  go  away  before  morning,  Mr. 
Benton.  But  even  if  you  go  to  the  village,  no  officer 
will  return  with  you,  for  after  you  left  Mr.  Wright 
also  signed  my  bond." 

Mr.  Benton  gave  an  exclamation  of  anger. 

"  He's  always  interferin'  with  me,"  he  said ;  "  but 
I'll  go  up  an'  see  if  it's  as  you  say.  Eemember  yer 
promise  now,"  and  he  rowed  off  toward  the  village. 

He  found,  on  arriving  there,  that  Budd  had  told 
the  truth,  but  succeeded  in  getting  his  own  name 
released  after  much  persuasion ;  and  realizing  that 
his  little  game  had  been  completely  baffled,  he 
started  sullenly  for  home. 

As  he  passed  Fox  Island  his  anger  was  again 
aroused,  and  he  exclaimed,  bitterly  : 

'Twas  all  owin'  to  Wright's  meddlin',  an'  that's 
what  made  Budd  so  lively.  I  wish  I  could  get  hold 
of  su'thin'  o'  his;  he'd  not  see  it  ag'in  till  he  paid 
me  them  thirty  dollers." 

His  eye  just  then  caught  the  outline  of  the  boys' 
sloop  through  the  darkness. 

"I  have  it!"  exclaimed  he.  "I'll  take  their 
boats ;"  and  without  thinking  that  his  act  was  theft 
he  rowed  quietly  in  to  the  island. 

Five  minutes  later  he  sailed  off  in  the  sloop,  hav- 
ing the  yawl  and  his  own  boat  in  tow. 

Going  down  the  bay  a  mile,  he  ran  the  boats  into 


BUDD  BOTD'S  TRIUMPH.  135 

a  secluded  bay  adjacent  to  his  own  land,  and  then 
tramping  up  to  his  house  for  chains  and  padlocks,  he 
fastened  them  all  securely.  Then  he  tramped  up 
the  hill  to  his  house  chuckling  to  himself : 

"  I've  not  only  got  twice  the  value  o'  them  thirty 
dollers,  but  I've  taken  away  every  means  for  the 
boys  to  leave  the  island." 


136  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPU. 


CHAPTEK    XIV. 

TWO    OPPORTUNITIES. 

A  ^7" HEN  Mr,  Benton,  in  his  chuckling,  had  de- 
V  V  clared  that  he  had  taken  away  every  means 
the  young  firm  had  for  reaching  the  main  shore,  he 
overlooked  two  important  facts :  first,  that  the  island 
at  its  nearest  point  was  not  over  a  half-mile  from 
the  main-land;  and,  second,  that  there  was  an 
abundance  of  material  on  the  island  from  which  to 
construct  a  temporary  float,  even  were  there  not 
other  ways  of  effecting  a  landing. 

Now  the  events  of  the  previous  chapter,  it  will 
be  remembered,  occurred  on  a  Thursday;  conse- 
quently the  next  day  was  Friday,  and  the  young 
firm's  greatest  salesday  of  all  the  week.  The  trial 
and  the  incidents  antecedent  to  it  had  greatly 
hindered  the  lads'  work,  also;  and  when  they 
retired  at  an  early  hour  on  Thursday  night,  there- 
fore, it  was  with  a  determination  to  be  up  the  next 
morning  long  before  their  usual  time,  which  was  in 
no  sense  late. 

There  was,  moreover,  a  special  reason  for  the 
boys  to  be  up  early  this  particular  morning,  for  a 
telegram  the  day  before  had  brought  an  order  for 
an  extra  supply  of  fish  to  be  shipped  that  morning 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  137 

by  the  earliest  train  to  the  city.  That  train  left  at 
six  o'clock,  and  the  fish  must  be  packed  and  at  the 
depot  before  that  hour.  So  it  happened  that  the 
lads  were  up  at  a  little  past  three  o'clock,  and 
breakfast  was  eaten  and  they  were  out  at  the 
wharf  before  four. 

Immediately  after  their  first  exclamations  of  sur- 
prise at  the  disappearance  of  the  boats  Judd  asked : 

"  Who  do  you  suppose  has  taken  them,  chum  ?" 

"One of  two  parties,"  responded  Budd,  promptly ; 
"  either  Bagsley  and  his  gang,  or  Mr.  Benton." 

"It  makes  a  vast  difference  to  us  which,"  re- 
marked Judd,  with  his  favorite  whistle.  "How  are 
we  going  to  find  out  which  party  it  was  ?" 

"  By  using  a  little  reason,  first  of  all  things,"  said 
Budd,  with  a  smile.  "  There  are  some  things  that 
make  it  improbable  that  it  was  Bagsley  and  his 
companions.  To  have  taken  the  boats  they  must 
have  been  prowling  around  here  before  last  night, 
and  that  isn't  likely,  for  with  our  sharp  lookout  we 
would  have  discovered  some  trace  of  them.  Again, 
if  it  were  him  and  his  crew,  they  must  have  discov- 
ered that  you  were  my  only  companion  here,  and 
they  would  have  done  something  more  serious  than 
simply  to  take  the  boats.  I  don't  say  that  these  are 
positive  proofs  that  they  are  not  the  ones  who  have 
taken  the  boats,  but  they  make  it  look  at  least  im- 
probable. Then,  again,  if  it  were  those  fellows, 
they  have  carried  out  'the  little  job'  they  talked  of, 
and  used  the  boats  as  a  means  of  escape.  If  we 
don't  hear  within  a  few  hours  of  some  burglary 


138  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

near  at  hand,  I  shall  feel  conclusively  that  they  are 
not  guilty  of  this  act." 

"  You  think,  then,  that  Benton  has  done  it  ?"  in- 
quired Judd.     "What  could  have  been  his  object?" 

"  Just  this,"  replied  his  partner,  earnestly  :  "  He 
left  the  house  angry  that  he  had  been  baffled  in  his 
purpose.  Coming  down  by  the  wharf,  here,  he 
thought  of  the  boats,  and  has  taken  them,  either  to 
hold  them  until  I  pay  him  the  thirty  dollars  he  has 
asked  for,  or  by  shutting  us  on  the  island  and 
hindering  our  work  he  hopes  to  find  a  partial  re- 
venge for  his  disappointment." 

"  But  don't  he  know  it  was  a  theft  ?"  asked  Judd, 
hotly. 

"  He  probably  don't  call  it  so,  and  may  not  really 
mean  to  keep  the  boats ;  but  the  law  will  put  that 
interpretation  upon  his  act,  and  that  gives  us  a  great 
opportunity." 

"  What  do  you  mean?"  asked  Judd,  a  little  mysti- 
fied. 

"  To  have  him  arrested,  and,  even  if  we  do  not 
push  the  matter  to  the  end,  frighten  him  so  thor- 
oughly he  will  let  us  alone  after  this ;"  and  Budd 
went  on  to  explain  that  this  had  been  Mr.  Wright's 
way  of  dealing  with  the  man. 
•  "  But  before  we  can  do  this  we  will  have  to  get 
ashore,  and  then  our  fish  must  be  at  the  depot  be- 
fore six  o'clock,"  said  Judd,  dryly. 

"  I  know  it,"  assented  his  comrade,  "  and  we  must 
stop  this  talk  and  go  ashore.  Once  on  shore,  you 
must  go  to  the  village  and  get  Ben  Taylor's  boat  for 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  139 

the  day  and  come  back  here.  Meanwhile  I  will 
go  down  along  the  shore,  and  see  if  Mr.  Benton  has 
taken  the  boats  down  to  that  little  cove  adjacent  to 
his  farm.  I'll  try  and  be  back  at  "The  Hum- 
mocks," so  you  can  pick  me  up  as  you  come  down 
with  the  boat.  It  is  about  four  o'clock,  now,  and 
by  five  we  must  be  back  here;  then,  by  stirring 
lively,  we  can  get  the  fish  packed  and  down  to  the 
depot  in  time  for  the  train." 

"  You  talk  just  as  though  we  could  go  right  over 
to  the  main  shore  without  the  slightest  trouble," 
said  Judd,  laughingly.  "Are  you  going  to  walk 
over  ?" 

"  Xo,"  said  Budd,  briefly  ;  "  but  I'm  going  to  put 
my  clothes  into  our  smallest  tub,  and  pushing  that 
ahead  of  me,  swim  over.  We  could,  of  course,  make 
a  raft,  but  we  haven't  the  time  for  it ;"  and  Budd 
ran  back  to  the  house,  appearing  again  in  a  moment 
with  the  tub. 

He  found  his  companion  already  undressing,  and 
not  three  minutes  had  elapsed  before  both  boys, 
pushing  the  tub  before  them,  were  swimming  for 
the  nearest  point  of  the  main  shore.  They  were 
equally  good  swimmers,  and  in  about  fifteen  minutes 
reached  the  point,  and  dressing,  each  hurried  off  his 
appointed  way. 

Budd's  way  was  down  across  "  The  Hummocks  " 
to  "  the  narrows,"  which  he  was  obliged  to  swim ; 
but  as  the  distance  was  short,  he  managed  to  do  it 
carrying  his  clothes  in  a  bundle  on  his  head.  Dress 
ing  again,  he  ran  along  the  shore  to  the  cove  he  had 


140  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

mentioned,  and  laughed  aloud  when  he  came  to  the 
boats  so  securely  padlocked. 

"  My  dear  Mr.  Benton,"  he  said,  mockingly,  as  he 
started  back  up  the  bay,  "  had  you  hitched  them 
with  a  tow-line  I  would  not  have  disturbed  them. 
You  will  yourself  be  glad  to  bring  them  back  before 
the  day  is  over." 

He  re-swam  "the  narrows,"  and  reached  the 
point  of  land  opposite  the  island  before  Judd  had 
returned.  But  he  had  not  long  to  wait ;  and  when 
he  had  taken  a  seat  in  Mr.  Taylor's  yawl  with  his 
partner,  under  their  united  strokes  the  light  boat 
sped  through  the  water  like  a  racer.  With  quick 
and  dexterous  hands  the  fish  were  packed,  and  ten 
minutes  before  the  appointed  hour  the  box  was 
landed  at  the  railroad  station. 

Budd  had  told  his  chum,  as  soon  as  he  had  re- 
joined him,  of  the  discovery  he  had  made,  and  so 
the  young  partners  went  directly  from  the  depot  to 
the  house  of  the  proper  officer  for  swearing  out  a 
warrant  against  Mr.  Benton,  and  in  half  an  hour 
Mr.  Avery,  the  constable,  was  driving  toward  that 
gentleman's  residence  with  the  warrant  in  his 
pocket. 

Arriving  at  the  farm  a  little  past  seven  o'clock,  he 
was  told  that  Mr.  Benton  had  gone  down  to  the 
shore.  He  followed  him  down  there,  and  found  the 
unsuspecting  man  standing  by  the  stolen  boats, 

"  Good-morning,  Mr.  Benton,"  he  said.  "  You 
have  quite  a  collection  of  craft  here.  Isn't  that 
Boyd  &  Floyd's  sloop  and  yawl  ?" 


bUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  141 

It  seems  almost  incredible  that  Mr.  Benton  did 
not  even  now  suspect  the  officer's  errand,  or  the 
nature  of  his  own  act ;  and  realizing  this,  Mr.  Avery 
enjoyed  the  situation  immensely. 

"  Well,  yes,"  assented  the  farmer.  "  Ye  see,  Budd 
owes  me,  an'  I  thought  I'd  take  his  sloop  until  he 
paid  me." 

"  But  running  off  in  the  night  with  another  per- 
son's property  is  not  a  legal  way  to  collect  one's 
debts,"  said  the  officer,  dryly,  "  and  I  am  obliged  to 
arrest  you  for  stealing  those  boats.  You  will  hardly 
deny  the  theft  now,  since  your  own  confession ;"  and 
the  officer  took  out  his  warrant. 

Mr.  Benton  fairly  shook  with  excitement  and 
rage. 

"  Me  'rested !"  he  cried.    "  Who's  dared  to  do  it  ?" 

"  I  have,"  remarked  the  officer,  quietly  ;  "  and  you 
can  come  along  with  me  without  fuss  or  I'll  put 
these  on  you  ;"  and  he  took  a  pair  of  iron  bracelets 
from  his  pocket. 

For  the  first  time  comprehending  the  real  situa- 
tion into  which  his  thoughtless  act  of  the  night  be- 
fore had  brought  him,  the  man  turned  pale  and 
stammered  out  the  words : 

"  But  I  didn't  really  mean  to  keep  the  boats.  I 
only  took  them  to  bring  Budd  to  terms,  an'  then  I 
was  goin'  to  let  him  have  them  ag'in." 

"  It  looks  as  though  you  did  mean  to  keep  them  ; 
you  certainly  have  secured  them  very  thorouglily," 
responded  the  officer,  significantly.  "  But  as  to  \^our 
real  motive,  you  can  settle  that  with  the  Court. 


143  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

But  I  cannot  stop  here  talking  with  you.  Would 
you  like  to  go  to  the  house  and  change  your  clothes 
before  you  go  with  me,  Mr.  Benton  ?" 

"  Go  where  with  you — up  to  the  village  ?"  asked 
he,  quickly. 

"  No ;  I've  got  to  take  you  to  the  county  jail. 
Your  offense,  owing  to  the  amount  you  have  taken, 
is  made  returnable  to  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas, 
and  that  does  not  sit  until  September.  I  shall  have 
to  take  you  to  the  jail  until  the  time  for  your  trial," 
explained  Mr.  Avery. 

Dazed  and  overwhelmed  at  the  prospect  before 
him,  Mr.  Benton  followed  the  officer  back  to  the 
house. 

"  See  here,"  he  said,  as  they  reached  the  threshold 
and  a  sudden  hope  came  to  him,  "  can't  I  settle  this 
with  the  boys  ?  I  don't  want  to  go  to  jail.  I've  no 
one  to  look  out  for  things,  it's  a' most  hay  in'  time, 
and  I  want  to  be  here  to  home.  I'll  take  the  boats 
right  back,  if  ye  say  so." 

"  You  will  have  to  see  the  lads  for  yourself,"  said 
Mr,  Avery,  shortly. 

"  Can't  you  take  me  where  they  are  an'  let  me 
talk  it  over  with  them  ?"  he  asked,  eagerly. 

"Yes,  if  you  will  pay  for  it,"  consented  Mr. 
Avery.  "  My  orders  were  to  arrest  you  and  carry 
you  to  jail,  and  that  is  all  the  law  will  allow  me  to 
collect  fees  for;  but  if  you  will  pay  me  for  my 
time,  I'm  willing  to  ride  around  with  you  all  day." 

"  How  much  will  ye  charge  ?"  asked  Mr.  Benton, 
cautiously. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRItTMP^.  143 

"  Thirty  cents  an  hour,"  said  the  officer,  looking 
at  his  watch. 

It  was  a  hard  thing  for  the  grasping  man  to  do, 
but  he  finally  consented ;  and  taking  him  into  his 
buggy,  Mr.  Avery  drove  off  in  search  of  the  boys. 

Judd  was  found  in  the  village,  but  would  consent 
to  no  settlement  until  his  partner  was  found.  There 
was  little  prospect  of  finding  Budd  until  he  returned 
from  his  peddling  trip,  and  Mr.  Benton  groaned 
more  and  more  as  the  hours  ran  by  and  he  knew  it 
was  adding  to  the  amount  he  should  have  to  pay  the 
officer.  But  he  soon  found  that  amount  was  but  a 
trifle  compared  with  what  he  should  have  to  pay  be- 
fore the  young  firm  consented  to  his  release. 

About  two  o'clock  Budd  came  back  to  the  village, 
where  he  had  agreed  to  meet  Judd  in  anticipation  of 
the  very  event  for  which  his  presence  was  now  de- 
sired. The  lads  had  time  to  talk  the  matter  over 
before  they  saw  Mr.  Benton,  and  when  he  appeared 
they  were  ready  to  state  their  terms. 

After  listening  to  Mr.  Benton's  proposition  to  re- 
turn the  boats,  Budd,  as  spokesman  for  the  firm, 
replied : 

"  Mr.  Benton's  act  not  only  caused  us  a  great  dfeal 
of  personal  annoyance,  but  it  interfered  with  our 
business  arrangements.  Again,  we  do  not  know  how 
soon  he  may  annoy  us  in  some  other  way.  We  pro- 
pose to  make  this  affair  a  good  lesson  to  him,  and  we 
will  therefore  settle  it  on  three  conditions  : 

"  First,  that  he  shall  return  the  boats  unharmed 
to  our  dock  at  the  island. 


144  ntJDD  SOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

"  Second,  that  he  pay  all  costs  that  have  accrued 
on  account  of  his  arrest. 

"  Third,  that  he  pay  us  twenty-five  dollars  for  the 
annoyance  and  business  dela3's  he  has  caused,  and 
give  bonds  for  his  future  good  behavior. 

"  These  are  the  only  conditions  on  which  we  will 
settle,  and  he  can  accept  them  or  stand  his  trial  in 
court." 

After  a  great  deal  of  protestation  Mr.  Benton 
agreed  to  all  but  the  giving  of  bonds  for  his  good 
behavior,  and  as  he  solemnly  promised  to  let  them 
alone  in  the  future,  the  lads  yielded.  The  money 
was  paid  to  them,  the  costs  were  settled,  the  boats 
returned  before  night,  and  the  young  firm  withdrew 
their  complaint. 

"  You  have  completely  silenced  one  of  your 
enemies,  Budd,"  remarked  Judd,  that  evening. 
"  Now,  if  only  some  opportunity  will  come  for  you 
to  bring  Bagsley  into  a  spot  where  you  can  dictate 
your  terms,  your  triumph  will  be  complete." 

''  I  hope  it  may,"  was  the  response. 

That  opportunity  was  nearer  at  hand  than  either 
of  the  lads  thought,  for  on  the  following  Monday 
the  whole  community  was  startled  by  learning  ihat 
the  most  daring  robbery  ever  committed  in  that 
vicinity  had  taken  place  some  time  between  the 
hours  of  twelve  o'clock  on  Saturday  night  and  six 
o'clock  on  Monday  morning.  A  jeweler's  store  on 
the  main  street  of  the  village  had  during  that  time 
been  entered  and  completely  gutted.  Watches, 
gold  and  silverware,  jewelry  and  precious  stones, 


BlTDD  BOYD'S  TRWMPH.  145 

had  been  carried  away  to  the  amount  of  over  five 
thousand  dollars^ 

The  store  ran  back  from  the  main  street  to  a 
narrow  alley.  A  window  opening  on  this  alley  had 
been  forced,  the  safe  blown  open,  and  all  the  stock 
of  any  real  value  carried  oflf.  The  work  had  evi- 
dently been  done  by  experts,  and  they  had  disap- 
peared without  leaving  a  single  trace  behind  them. 

Budd  learned  of  the  robbery  about  ten  o'clock  on 
Monday  morning.  He  had  gone  over  to  the  village 
in  the  sloop  to  make  a  deposit  of  money  and  checks 
at  the  bank,  for  the  young  firm  had  reached  the 
dignity  of  having  a  bank  account,  and  while  in  the 
banking-rooms  had  his  attention  called  to  a  poster 
which  had  already  appeared  about  the  village.  It 
read : 

$1,500  KEWAKD. 

One  thousand  dollars  will  be  paid  for  the  arrest 
and  conviction  of  the  burglars  who  entered  our 
store  some  time  between  the  hours  of  twelve  o'clock 
on  Saturday  night,  June  24th,  and  six  o'clock  on 
Monday  morning,  June  26th.  Five  hundred  dollars 
additional  will  be  given  for  the  return  of  the  goods 
that  were  carried  off,  or  ten  per  cent,  of  that 
amount  for  each  thousand  dollars  worth  of  goods 
restored.  Respectfully, 

Clapp  &  St.  John. 

After  inquiring  of  the  bank-teller  more  of  the 
particulars  respecting  the  robbery,  Budd  went 
around  to  the  store  and  made  a  careful  examination 
of  the  premises.      He   found   the    shutter  of  the 


146  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIXIMPB. 

window  had  been  opened  by  forcing  some  powerful 
instrument  under  the  iron  bar  that  ran  across  the 
outside,  and  thus  prying  the  bar  out  of  its  socket. 
Then  a  pane  of  glass  had  been  cut  out  as  neatly  and 
deftly  as  the  one  over  at  the  island.  The  fastening 
of  the  window  had  in  this  way  been  reached,  and 
the  window  shoved  up.  As  soon  as  Budd  had 
noticed  these  details  he  left  the  building  and  started 
down  toward  his  boat. 

"  That  was  the  work  of  Bagsley  and  his  gang,"  he 
murmured,  "and  our  opportunity,  if  we  can  only 
find  them,  has  come." 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  U'J' 


CHAPTEK    XY. 

BUDD     ENTRAPPED. 

JUST  BEFORE  Budd  reached  the  wharf  he 
noticed  another  poster  tacked  up  on  the  side  of 
a  storehouse,  and  paused  to  read  it,  that  he  might 
be  sure  of  the  terras  under  which  the  reward  was 
offered. 

As  he  stood  there  a  well-dressed  stranger  came 
up  behind  him,  and  also  paused  to  read  the  notice. 

"'That  is  quite  a  reward,"  he  remarked,  after 
reading  it ;  "a  nice  little  sum  for  some  one  to  earn. 
Do  you  know  whether  any  particular  persons  are 
suspected  of  the  crime  ?" 

"  They  are  simply  believed  to  have  been  experts,'' 
answered  Budd. 

"  It  was  a  neat  job,  that's  a  fact,"  said  the  man, 
complacently. 

Then  as  Budd  turned  away  he  asked,  politely  : 

"  Do  you  know  of  any  one  about  the  wharf  here 
who  has  boats  to  let  ?" 

"  I  hive  a  sloop,"  replied  Budd,  "  that  I  use  to 
take  out  sailing-parties." 

"Is  it  near  here?  Could  I  see  it?"  asked  the 
man,  looking  Budd  carefully  over  from  head  to 
foot. 


148  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

The  lad  led  the  way  down  to  the  dock  and  pointed 
out  the  Sea  Witch. 

"  She  would  do  nicely,"  said  the  man,  jumping 
into  her  and  examining  her  cabin.  "  Is  she  a  fast 
sailer  ?" 

"  Nothing  of  her  size  on  this  bay  can  overhaul 
her,"  replied  Budd,  with  a  touch  of  pride. 

"Indeed!"  remarked  the  man,  with  apparent 
satisfaction.     "  What  do  you  ask  a  day  for  her  use  V 

"  We  never  let  her  except  myself  or  my  partner 
go  with  her,"  explained  Budd,  "and  our  prices 
depend  on  the  party  and  the  time  we  are  gone." 

"  Which  of  course  is  a  very  nice  way  to  arrange 
it,  I'm  sure,"  said  the  stranger. 

"  Well,  to  come  to  business.  My  name  is  Wilson 
— Thomas  Kortright  Wilson — a  direct  descendant  of 
James  Wilson,  of  Philadelphia,  one  of  the  Signers 
of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  and  once  a 
Judge  of  the  United  States  Supreme  Court.  Doubt- 
less you  have  heard  of  him ;"  and  Mr.  Wilson  said 
this  with  an  air  and  tone  that  implied  "  You  are 
very  ignorant  if  you  have  not." 

Budd  modestly  admitted  that  he  had  heard  of 
that  distinguished  gentleman,  and  then  his  com- 
panion went  on : 

"  I  am  camping  out  with  a  party  of  friends  upon 
Patience  Island.  We  have  been  there  a  week,  but 
we  can  stand  it  no  longer.  It  is  horribly  lonesome 
there;  not  a  house  on  the  island,  not  a  solitary 
person  there  but  ourselves.  There  is  no  gunning  or 
fishing  worth  speaking  of,  and   this  morning  the 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  149 

boys  voted  for  a  change,  and  sent  me  over  here  to 
hire  a  boat  to  take  us  and  our  camping  outfit  to  Block 
Island,  so  I  rowed  over  in  that  boat,"  and  Mr.  Wilson 
here  pointed  to  a  small  skiff  a  few  rods  below  the 
wharf,  "  and  walked  up  the  street  till  I  met  you. 
It  is  wonderful  good  fortune  that  I  should  have  run 
in  with  you  at  once.  Now,  what  will  you  ask  to 
move  our  camp?" 

"  How  many  are  there  in  your  party,  and  how 
much  of  an  outfit  have  you?"  asked  Budd. 

"  There  are  five  of  us,  and  we  have  onl v  a  few 
traps;  you  can  carry  everything  at  one  trip,"  said 
Mr.  Wilson,  briskly. 

"  I  ought  to  have  five  dollars,"  Budd  declared : 
*'  and  I  shall  have  to  go  home  before  I  can  make  the 
trip." 

"Well,  can  you  go  right  after  dinner?"  asked  the 
stranger. 

"  Yes,  at  one  o'clock  I'll  be  here,"  said  the  lad. 

'•  All  right ;  we'll  give  you  your  price.  Mean- 
time, where  can  I  get  a  good  dinner?" 

Budd  gave  him  directions  how  to  find  the  leading 
hotel,  and  then  cast  off  the  fastenings  of  the  sloop 
and  sped  away  for  the  island. 

Promptly  at  one  o'clock  he  was  at  the  village,  and 
as  he  took  Mr,  Wilson  on  board  he  asked  if  he 
should  run  down  and  take  the  gentleman's  skiff  in 
tow ;  for,  expecting  to  do  this,  he  had  left  his  own 
yawl  with  Judd. 

"No.  never  mind  that ;  it  isn't  worth  taking  with 
us,"  replied  Mr.  Wilson, 


150  BTTDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

Budd  thought  it  a  little  strange,  but  had  not  the 
slightest  suspicion  that  the  skiff  was  not  the  prop- 
erty of  the  stranger,  and  that  his  story  about  cross- 
ing over  in  it  that  morning  was  a  sheer  fabrication. 

There  was  another  statement  in  the  man's  story 
that  would  have  seemed  very  strange  to  Budd  had 
he  only  thought  of  it.  He  had  stated  that  he  and 
his  party  had  been  camping  out  on  Patience  Island 
for  a  week ;  yet  the  island  was  small,  and  Budd  had 
himself  been  down  by  it  but  five  days  before,  and 
at  that  time  there  was  no  sign  of  a  camping-party 
upon  it.  But  utterl}?^  unconscious  of  the  man's  false- 
hoods, tiie  lad  sailed  straight  on  into  what  was  des- 
tined to  be  the  most  trying  experience  through 
which  he  had  yet  passed. 

The  gentleman  chatted  away  pleasantl}'  as  he  sat 
by  Budd  in  the  stern  of  the  sloop.  He  asked  ques- 
tions about  the  islands  and  the  main-land  they  were 
passing.  He  wanted  to  know  how  long  before  they 
would  reach  Patience  Island,  and  how  long  it  would 
take  to  run  out  to  Block  Island  with  that  breeze. 
lie  assured  Budd  his  companions  would  have  every- 
thmg  packed  on  their  arrival,  and  there  would  be  no 
unnecessary  delay  in  starting  on  their  long  trip. 

As  they  neared  the  island  of  their  destination  he 
informed  the  lad  that  the  camp  had  been  on  the  east 
side,  and  on  running  around  the  south  end,  Budd 
saw,  no  great  distance  away,  the  place  of  the  en- 
campment. It  was  true  the  tent  was  down,  and  the 
boxes  and  bags  were  piled  close  by  the  shore,  but 
this  was  just  as  Mr.  Wilson  had  said  it  would  be ; 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  151 

and  when  four  men  came  out  fr6in  behind  a  large 
rock,  and  walked  down  to  the  heap  of  stuff,  Budd  said: 

"  They  are  ready  and  waiting  for  us,  it  seems,  Mr. 
"Wilson;  but  I  can't  get  in  to  the  shore  with  the 
sloop,  and  how  will  you  get  your  goods  on  board  ? 
You  ought  to  have  brought  your  skiff." 

"  They  have  a  boat,  a  better  one ;  that's  why  I 
left  the  other,"  said  he ;  "  but  run  in  as  close  as  you 
can  and  anchor,  and  I'll  tell  them  to  load  up  and 
come  on  board." 

jS^ot  a  shadow  of  the  coming  evil  was  as  yet  appar- 
ent to  the  unsuspicious  boy.  Giving  his  whole  at- 
tention to  his  sloop,  he  only  cast  the  merest  glance 
at  the  men  on  shore  until  he  had  anchored.  At  lib- 
erty now,  however,  he  looked  steadily  at  the  men,  to 
whom  Mr.  Wilson  was  already  shouting.  Then  he 
gave  a  sharp  cry  of  alarm,  and  drawing  his  pocket- 
knife  he  sprung  forward  to  cut  the  anchor-cable. 
His  words  were : 

"  Gracious !  There  is  Bagsley,  and  you  are  the 
robbers !" 

But  quick  as  he  was,  Mr.  Wilson  was  quicker. 
Springing  upon  the  lad,  he  bore  him  down  upon  the 
forward  deck  and  called  loudly  for  help.  Two  of 
the  men  on  shore  jumped  into  a  yawl  that  lay  hid- 
den behind  a  projecting  rock,  and  without  stopping 
to  load  their  stuff  pushed  out  to  the  sloop.  One  of 
the  men  was  Bagsley  himself,  and  when  he  had 
assisted  Mr.  Wilson  in  tying  the  lad,  hand  and  foot, 
he  gave  a  look  at  him,  and  then  with  a  terrible  oath 
exclaimed : 


152  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

"  It  is  Budd  Boyd  !  Where  did  you  run  in  with 
him  ?" 

Mr.  Wilson  briefly  explained  how  he  had  hired 
the  boy,  not  supposing  for  an  instant  that  he  knew 
any  of  the  gang.  "  But,"  he  went  on,  "  the  moment 
the  lad  caught  sight  of  you  he  called  your  name,  and 
said  we  were  the  robbers.  He  then  tried  to  cut  the 
anchor-cable,  but  I  spoiled  that  little  game.  The 
question  is,  what  shall  we  do  with  him  f ' 

"  Tie  a  big  stone  to  his  neck  and  to  his  feet  and 
drop  him  overboard,"  answered  Bagsley.  "  I  told 
him  I'd  kill  him  the  next  time  I  saw  him.  He'll  be 
sure  to  give  us  away,  too,  if  we  let  him  go,  and  our 
only  safety  is  to  put  him  out  of  the  way." 

Budd,  as  he  lay  bound  only  a  few  feet  away,  shud- 
dered at  the  coolness  with  which  the  villain  said 
these  words,  and  felt  that  his  very  moments  were 
numbered.  To  his  surprise,  however,  the  man  who 
had  come  off  from  the  shore  with  Bagsley,  and 
whom  he  recognized  as  the  leader  of  the  gang 
when  the}'  were  at  Fox  Island,  said : 

"  ISTo,  there  is  to  be  no  murder,  boys,  as  long  as  we 
can  get  along  without  it.  Put  the  boy  into  the 
yawl  and  take  him  ashore.  We'll  change  our  plans, 
and  put  him  where  he  cannot  give  any  alarm  until 
we  are  out  of  all  danger." 

Wilson  and  Bagsley  lifted  the  lad  into  the  boat, 
and  the  captain  following  them,  they  rowed  ashore. 

A  hurried  consultation  was  now  held,  but  in  such 
low  tones  that  Budd  could  only  catch  here  and 
there  a  word.    He  was  able  to  recognize,  however, 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH,  153 

in  one  of  the  two  men  who  had  remained  on  the 
island  while  the  captain  and  Bagslev  came  to  Wil- 
son's help,  the  third  man  of  the  trio  that  had  been 
at  his  home.  The  other  man,  like  Wilson,  was  a 
stranger,  and  had  evidently  joined  the  gang  since 
the  time  of  that  visitation.  After  awhile  he  caught 
the  words  of  the  leader  of  the  party : 

"  I  tell  you,  boys,  that  is  the  only  safe  way  for  us 
to  do.  As  we'll  fix  the  lad,  he  can't  get  away  for  a 
day  or  two,  perhaps  longer,  and  by  that  time  we  will 
be  where  he  cannot  harm  us." 

"  If  he  ever  gets  away  he'll  mark  me  for  this 
affair,  and  will  leave  no  stone  unturned  till  I'm 
found,"  said  Bagsley,  moodily. 

"  I  think  even  you  will  be  satisfied  with  the  way 
we'll  fix  him,"  laughed  the  leader.  "Untie  his 
feet,  get  another  rope,  and  bring  him  on." 

Bagsley  obeyed  with  alacrity,  and  the  captain  led 
the  way  over  into  the  center  of  the  island  where  a 
small  depression  in  the  surface  cut  off  all  view  of 
the  bay.  A  tree  stood  very  near  the  lowest  point 
of  the  hollow,  and  standing  Budd  up  against  the 
trunk  of  this,  the  captain,  with  Bagsley's  help,  tied 
him  so  firmly  to  it  that  there  seemed  no  possibility 
of  his  untying  himself. 

"  There,  Bagsley,"  the  leader  now  said,  stepping 
off  a  few  feet  to  view  the  lad,  "  he  is  where  he  can 
see  no  one,  and  no  one  can  see  him.  He  may  pos- 
sibly attract  the  attention  of  some  passing  boat  by 
hallooing,  but  it  is  a  mere  chance.  He  may  possibly 
untie  himself  after  awhile,  but  that,  too,  is  a  mere 


154  B  UDD  BO  YD'S  TBI  UMPH, 

possibility.  His  friends,  searching  for  him,  will  go 
to  Block  Island  first ;  and  if,  after  awhile,  they 
think  of  coming  here,  they  may  be  in  time  to  rescue 
him,  and  they  may  not.  Still  you  and  I  don't  know 
that  he  will  die  here,  and  our  consciences  need  not 
be  troubled  with  any  thoughts  of  his  murder,  for 
we  know,  and  can  make  oath  to  it,  that  we  left  him 
liere  alive  and  in  good  health ;  only,  his  opportu- 
nities for  locomotion  are  exceedingly  limited." 

With  this  heartless  remark  the  two  villains  walked 
slowly  away,  leaving  Budd  to  his  uncertain  fate. 


The  captain  with  Bagsley's  help  tied  Budd  so  firmly  to  the  tree  that 
there  seemed  no  possibility  of  his  untying  himself.  155 


156  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH, 


CHAPTER    XYI. 

JUDD   MAKES    AN    IMPORTANT    DISCOVERY. 

AN  HOUR  or  so  after  Budd  had  sailed  away 
from  Fox  Island  to  meet  Mr,  Wilson  at  the 
village  and  go  on  the  prearranged  trip,  Judd  got 
into  the  yawl  and  started  down  the  bay  to  visit  the 
fish-pounds.  Some  impulse  came  to  him,  as  he  rowed 
along,  to  first  visit  (though  it  was  contrary  to  their 
usual  way  of  doing)  the  pound  over  on  the  shore  of 
Conanicut  Island.  Just  before  reaching  it  he  hap- 
pened to  glance  up  the  bay,  and  saw  the  Sea  "Witch 
tacking  down  toward  hira. 

"  Budd  will  get  down  along  here  before  I  leave 
the  pound,"  he  remarked  to  himself,  "  and  I'll  hail 
him  and  find  out  what  time  he  expects  to  get  back 
to-night." 

Then  he  rowed  leisurely  on  to  the  pound  and 
began  his  work.  It  was  no  easy  job  to  handle  the 
seine  alone;  and  for  those  readers  who  are  not 
familiar  with  this  fish-trap,  so  common  to  the  New 
England  coast,  we  will  accompany  Judd  in  his  task. 

It  is  low  tide,  and  thus  the  very  best  time  for  the 
work,  as  the  net  is  now  fully  exposed  to  view,  and 
can  therefore  be  the  more  readily  examined  for  any 


BITDD  BOYD'S  TRTUMPH.  157 

breaks,  and  all  foreign  substances  that  have  collected 
in  its  meshes  can  be  the  more  easily  discovered  and 
removed.  The  various  times  of  day,  then,  at  which 
the  young  firm  have  heretofore  been  represented  as 
visiting  the  pounds  were  not  a  mere  matter  of 
choice  on  their  part,  but  were  the  times  that  the 
ebbing  tide  had  made  it  best  to  do  so,  and  it  is  the 
same  reason  that  has  brought  Judd  here  just  at  this 
hour. 

He  rows  in  to  the  first  stake,  just  a  few  feet  below 
low-water  mark,  where  his  leader  begins.  Slowly 
along  this  he  works  his  way  toward  the  pound,  five 
hundred  feet  off  shore.  He  sees  that  every  stake  is 
still  firm,  and  that  the  net  is  stretched  tautly  be- 
tween the  posts ;  that  the  sinkers  are  still  holding 
its  lower  edge  down  to  the  bottom  of  the  ba}'^,  ancL 
that  its  upper  edge  is  properly  attached  to  the  toff^ 
of  each  stake. 

Here  and  there  he  pulls  away  a  bunch  of  sea- 
weed, or  some  floating  log  or  plank  that  the  tide 
has  brought  up  against  the  net,  and  which,  if  al- 
lowed to  remain  there,  might  under  a  heavy  sea  do 
great  damage  to  the  leader.  By  and  by  he  has 
reached  the  great  circular  pound  or  trap,  which,  like 
a  tremendous  basin,  rounds  out  each  way  from  his 
lead-line ;  and  now  the  hard  work  begins.  Round 
and  round  the  basin  he  goes,  pulling  here  and  pull- 
ing there,  all  the  while  drawing  the  great  purse 
into  a  smaller  circumference,  and  nearer  to  the  sur- 
face. The  splashing  and  boiling  water  within,  here 
and  there  the  flash  of  a  fin,  and  then  a  tremendous 


158  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRltlMPH. 

surge  to  the  right  or  the  left,  as  the  case  may  be, 
tell  of  the  fish  imprisoned  in  the  seine. 

More  than  once  Judd  wishes  for  his  partner's 
strong  arm  to  help  him  ;  more  than  once  the  strug- 
gling mass  of  fish  pull  back  into  the  deep  all  the 
slack  seine,  compelling  the  lad  to  do  his  work  over 
again ;  but  at  last  he  is  successful,  and  the  fish  are 
bagged  into  a  corner  of  the  net,  and  held  there 
so  firmly  that  there  is  no  possible  escape.  The 
scoop-net  is  now  brought  into  play,  and  rapidly  the 
fish  are  dipped  up  and  emptied  down  into  the 
bottom  of  the  yawl.  When  the  last  one  has  been 
removed  the  great  purse-net  is  again  lowered  into 
the  water,  and  the  openings  at  each  side  of  the 
leader,  wide  at  the  outer  edge,  but  extremely  nar- 
row at  the  inner,  are  properly  adjusted,  and  the 
work  for  that  day  is  over — unless,  indeed,  some 
huge  rent  in  the  meshes  of  the  seine  compel  it  to  be 
loosened  from  its  stakes  and  carried  ashore  for  ex- 
tensive repairs. 

This  time  there  is  no  rent,  and  Judd  has  about 
got  the  net  into  its  place,  when,  glancing  up,  he 
sees  that  the  next  tack  of  the  Sea  Witch  will  bring 
her  down  near  him.  Adjusting  the  net  here  and 
there,  he  waits  for  her  approach.  Ten  minutes  later 
she  is  evidently  as  near  to  him  as  she  is  coming,  for 
her  tiller  \z  thrown  about,  and  slowly  she  swings 
around  for  the  next  tack.  He  raises  his  hands  to  his 
mouth,  like  a  trumpet,  and  is  about  to  utter  a  pro- 
longed whoop,  to  attract  Budd's  attention  ;  but  no 
sound  issues  from  his  lips.     Instead,  he  drops  his 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRWMPE  169 

hands,  catches  hold  of  the  net,  pulls  his  yawl  rapidly 
around  to  the  leader,  and  then  works  along  it  to- 
ward the  shore. 

Why  is  this  sudden  change  ?  Because,  as  the  sail 
of  the  Sea  Witch  swung  slowly  around  for  the  re- 
verse tack,  he  saw  Budd  was  not  on  board.  Xor 
was  this  all.  In  three  of  those  passengers  he  recog- 
nized Bftgsley  and  his  two  companions  when  at  Fox 
Island  eight  or  ten  days  before,  and  like  a  flash  it 
comes  to  him  that  Budd  is  a  prisoner,  and  the  rob- 
bers are  running  away  with  the  sloop. 

As  he  works  his  way  to  the  shore  he  watches  the 
sloop  furtively,  to  be  sure  that  his  action  has  not 
awakened  any  suspicion  on  the  part  of  the  men  in 
her;  but  he  knows  there  is  little  danger  of  this,  for 
though  he  recognizes  them,  they  are  not  likely  to 
think  that  he,  who  is  at  work  so  innocently  there 
by  that  fish-trap,  is  the  other  owner  of  the  boat,  and 
has  already  divined  their  purpose. 

N^ot  too  fast,  so  as  not  to  specially  attract  their 
attention,  he  goes  along  the  leader,  stopping  just  an 
instant  now  and  then  in  mere  pretense  to  adjust  the 
netting.  But  the  moment  their  tack  has  taken  the 
sloop  so  far  across  the  bay  that  his  movements  can- 
not be  readily  discerned,  he  suddenly  becomes  the 
very  embodiment  of  activity  and  purpose. 

Two  or  three  vigorous  puUs  send  the  yawl  in- 
shore, where  it  is  promptly  secured  beyond  the 
reach  of  a  rising  tide,  for  Judd  has  no  idea  just 
when  he  will  come  to  claim  it  again.  Even  the  fish 
are  forgotten  as  the  boy  runs  rapidly  up  the  west 


160        -  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPB. 

slope  of  the  island  to  the  nearest  farm-house ;  and 
he  ^-ives  a  cry  of  joy,  as  he  reaches  it,  to  find  the 
farmer,  with  whom  he  is  shghtly  acquainted,  just 
driving  his  horse  and  wagon  out  of  the  yard. 

"  Are  you  going  down  to  Jamestown  Ferry,  Mr. 
Kiles  ?"  he  eagerly  asks. 

"  Yes,  jump  in,"  replies  the  kind-hearted  farmer. 

Judd  waits  for  no  second  invitation,  but  springing 
into  the  wagon,  he  points  off  to  the  west  bay,  say- 
ing: 

"Do  you  see  that  sloop  over  under  the  west 
shore,  Mr.  Niles  ?" 

"Yes,"  replies  he,  "and  it  looks  like  yours." 

"  It  is ;  and  a  gang  of  fellows  are  running  off  with 
her,  and  I  wish  you  would  get  me  to  the  ferry  about 
as  quick  as  you  can.  I  want  to  get  over  to  New- 
port, hire  a  tug,  and  head  them  off  before  they 
reach  Beaver  Tail,  if  possible.  I'll  pay  you  what- 
ever you  ask  for  driving  me  down  there,"  was 
Judd's  surprising  statement. 

The  interest  of  the  farmer  was  at  once  awakened. 

"  Sho',  now,  you  don't  say  so !"  he  exclaimed. 
"  Lor' !  I'll  get  you  there  for  the  next  boat  over  to 
the  city,  and  won't  ask  you:  anything,  either.  I  just 
hope  you'll  get  them ;"  and  the  farmer  plied  his 
whip  to  the  horse  with  a  force  that  sent  him  tearing 
down  the  island  at  a  rate  that  must  have  been 
a  source  of  astonishment  to  the  usually  sedate 
animal. 

He  kept  his  promise,  too,  and  drove  on  to  the 
ferry  wharf  just  in  time  for  Judd  to  jump  on  the 


BtTDD  BOYD'S  TRIVMPH.  161 

already  moving  boat  as  she  left  on  her  half-past 
three  o'clock  trip.  At  four  o'clock,  therefore,  he 
was  in  the  city,  and  running  up  to  Thames  Street, 
he  hurried  around  to  the  wharf  of  the  Providence 
and  JS'ewport  Steamboat  Company,  where  he  had 
noticed  that  a  tug  with  her  steam  up  was  lying. 

As  he  turned  off  from  the  street  onto  the  passage- 
way leading  to  the  wharf  he  saw  just  ahead  of  him 
Mr.  Avery,  the  constable.  Quickening  his  pace  to  a 
run,  Judd  overtook  him. 

"  Mr.  Avery,''  he  exclaimed,  "  where  are  you 
going  ?" 

"Home  on  the  next  boat,"  replied  Mr.  Avery, 
shaking  hands  with  the  lad,  "  and  while  I  was  wait- 
ing for  the  boat  I  walked  around  here.  But  did 
you  wish  to  see  me  for  anything  special  V 

Drawing  him  to  one  side,  Judd  in  a  low  voice  told 
him  of  the  discovery  he  had  made,  and  what  he  had 
come  to  the  city  for. 

•'  Now,"  he  said,  "  I  want  you  to  come  along  with 
me,  if  we  can  agree  as  to  the  division  of  the  re- 
ward." 

"  Budd,  you  say,  is  in  their  clutches,  and  he  cer- 
tainly deserves  one  share;  you  ought  to  have  a 
second  for  your  discovery  ;  and  I  a  third,  for  going 
with  you,  chartering  the  tug,  running  a  risk  of  the 
capture,  and  assuming  the  legal  responsibility  of  the 
arrest.  How  does  that  strike  you?"  asked  Mr. 
Avery,  with  the  tones  of  a  man  who  wanted  to  do 
the  fair  thing. 

"  Agreed ;  and  we  have  no  time  to  lose,"  responded 


162  BVDB  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

Judd.  "  There  is  a  tug  right  below  here  with  her 
steam  up." 

Two  minutes  later  the  officer  and  lad  stood  on  the 
dock  looking  down  into  a  neat  and  trim  tug,  named 
the  Thetis. 

"  Ho !  ho !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Avery  as  he  read  her 
name.  "  I  know  her  captain,  and  I  wonder  where 
he  is." 

"Right  here,  Avery,"  exclaimed  a  voice  behind 
them.     "  What  do  you  Avish  ?" 

They  turned  to  see  a  great  six-footer  coming 
toward  them,  and  as  he  reached  the  dock  he  went 
on: 

"  I  thought  it  was  you,  Avery,  as  I  came  down  the 
street  behind  you.     How  are  you  all  at  home  ?" 

"  Very  well,  Captain  Bradley,"  replied  Mr.  Avery. 

Then  he  introduced  Judd,  and  proceeded  to  state 
his  business. 

The  stalwart  captain  pulled  his  beard  vigorously 
as  the  officer  told  his  story,  and  then  he  said, 
heartily : 

"  I'm  your  man,  Avery.  Steam  is  up,  and  we  can 
be  off  in  five  minutes.  If  we  don't  catch  the  rascals 
you  are  to  give  me  twenty  dollars ;  if  we  do,  make 
it  one  hundred." 

Mr.  Avery,  after  consulting  with  Judd,  agreed  to 
this,  and  then  he  suggested  putting  on  a  number  of 
extra  men. 

"  "Well,  of  course  I  will,  if  you  want  them,'*  said 
the  captain;  "  but  I  have  three  men  beside  myself, 
and  I'm  good  for  any  two  of  those  rascals.     You 


ntJDt)  BOtD'S  TltlUMPlL  163 

and  the  boy  make  six  in  all.  We  have  two  guns 
and  two  revolvers  on  board,  and  if  yon  will  wait  five 
minutes  I'll  borrow  a  couple  more ;"  and  as  Mr. 
Avery  nodded  his  approval,  he  disappeared  around 
the  corner  of  an  adjacent  building. 

In  the  specified  time  he  returned  with  revolvers 
and  a  Winchester  rifle. 

"  I  happened  to  think  that  this,"  holding  out  the 
rifle,  "  w^as  up  here  in  an  office,  and  brought  it  along 
also,"  he  exclaimed.  "  It  may  come  handy  if  we 
have  to  back  off  and  take  the  robbers  at  long  range." 

But  while  this  large  collection  of  deadly  weapons 
may  have  been  wise  it  was  hardly  necessary,  as  the 
sequel  will  prove. 

It  was  not  far  from  half-past  four  o'clock  when  the 
tug  left  the  wharf.  She  steamed  rapidly  around  the 
lighthouse,  and  down  by  Fort  Adams  to  the  mouth 
the  of  bay. 

Mr.  Avery  and  Judd  stood  on  her  bow,  looking 
eagerly  off  toward  the  great  expanse  of  ocean  open- 
ing up  to  their  view.  Both  were  confident  that  if 
the  burglars  had  ever  intended  to  go  over  to  Block 
Island  their  plan  would  be  changed  on  discovering 
that  Budd  knew  them.  The  question  of  greatest 
moment  to  them,  then,  was,  had  the  Sea  Witch,  on 
leaving  the  bay,  gone  to  the  east  or  to  the  west  ?  for 
they  were  sure  she  had  already  had  time  enough  to 
reach  the  o])en  sea.  Their  hope  was,  and  to  this 
end  the  tug  was  pushed  rapidly  forward,  that  they 
might  reach  Beaver  Tail  before  the  sloop  had  en- 
tirely disappeared. 


164  BtTDi)  B0YP8  TRtUMPH. 

"  Do  you  suppose  they  have  carried  Budd  off  as  a 
prisoner  ?"  asked  Judd  of  Mr.  Avery  as  they  stood 
there  together. 

He  asked  the  question  with  much  anxiety,  for 
there  had  been  a  growing  fear  at  his  heart  that  a 
worse  calamity  might  have  befallen  his  chum. 

"  It  depends  largely  upon  how  he  came  to  fall  into 
their  hands,"  said  Mr.  Avery,  slowly.  "  If  they  have 
watched  for  him,  and  purposely  enticed  him  away, 
the  probabilities  are  that  he  is  on  board  the  sloop, 
and  that  they  will  dispose  of  him  in  such  a  way  that 
he  cannot  be  traced.  By  your  tale,  this  Bagsley  is 
equal  to  so  serious  a  crime.  On  the  other  hand,  if 
that  Wilson  hired  him  ignorantly,  and  not  until  they 
reached  the  island,  where  his  companions  were,  was 
it  known  who  he  really  was,  then  I  am  inclined  to 
think  they  have  left  him  on  the  island,  but  bound  in 
such  a  way  that  he  cannot  escape  until  rescued  by 
his  friends.  This  would  give  them  ample  time  to 
get  out  of  the  way  with  their  booty  before  he  could 
give  an  alarm,  and  is  probably  the  thing  they  have 
done.  But  we  cannot  really  tell  until  we  overhaul 
them. 

"  If  I  were  asked  to  give  my  idea  of  the  burglars' 
plans  from  beginning  to  end,"  the  officer  went  on 
with  a  smile,  "  it  would  be  about  this :  Wilson,  and 
the  other  robber  you  did  not  know,  have  been  the 
forerunners  of  the  other  men,  and  have  doubtless 
hung  about  the  village  for  some  time,  locating  the 
store  and  planning  for  the  robbery.  Bagsley  and 
his  gang  came  to  Fox  Island  intending  to  make  that 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  165 

a  rendezvous  until  their  confederates  notified  them 
everything  was  ready ;  but  finding  that  was  in- 
habited, they  went  to  Hope  Island  and  robbed  Mr. 
Johnson's  house  of  all  that  they  needed  to  make  a 
camping  outfit,  and  have  been  all  the  time  on 
Patience  Island,  waiting  for  their  allies'  message. 
When  it  came,  they  dropped  over  to  the  village, 
gutted  the  store,  and  returned  Avith  one  of  their 
confederates  to  Patience  Island,  while  the  other, 
Wilson,  remained  behind  to  see  what  effect  the  rob- 
bery had  on  the  community,  and  what  efforts  were 
put  forth  to  find  the  criminals.  If,  in  his  judgment, 
it  seemed  best  to  leave  the  neighborhood,  he  was  to 
hire  a  boat  to  take  them  as  a  camping-part}^  over  to 
Block  Island,  where  they  would  have  quietly  sepa- 
rated and  sought  places  of  safety. 

"  When  Wilson  appeared,  however,  bringing  a  lad 
who  knew  one  of  their  number,  they  were  forced  to 
plan  differently,  and  so  they  ran  away  with  the 
sloop,  intending  doubtless  to  go  to  some  quiet  nook 
up  or  down  the  coast,  scuttle  her,  and  then  disappear 
without  leaving  a  clew  as  to  the  direction  they  had 
gone.  But  hei^e  we  are,  rounding  out  into  the 
ocean ;  and  now  where  is  your  boat  T' 

Anxiously  Judd  scanned  the  surface  of  the  water 
to  the  westward.  IS^umerous  sails  of  all  sizes  were 
discernible  as  far  as  Point  Judith,  but  not  one  of 
them,  he  w^as  sure,  could  be  the  Sea  Witch.  If  the 
burglars  had  gone  in  that  direction  they  had  already 
disappeared  around  the  distant  point.  But  to  have 
sailed  that  way  would  have  been  against  a  strong 


166  BUBD  BOTD'S  TRIUMPH. 

southwest  wind,  necessitating  constant  tacking,  and  as 
fast  a  sailer  as  the  sloop  was,  Judd  was  confident  she 
had  not  had  time  enough  to  accomplish  that  feat. 
He  therefore  turned  at  once,  and  hopefully,  to  scan 
the  eastern  horizon.  His  look  was  but  for  a  mo- 
ment ;  then  he  exclaimed,  triumphantly  : 

"  There  she  is,  Mr.  Avery." 

He  pointed  out  a  small  sloop  about  two  miles 
away,  which  was  sailing  due  east. 

"  Has  the  captain  a  glass  ?"  he  then  asked ;  "  though 
without  one  I  am  quite  positive  she  is  the  sloop,"  he 
added,  quickly. 

A  glass  was  brought  him,  and  adjusting  it  to  his 
eye,  he  looked  long  and  anxiously  at  the  retreating 
boat. 

"  One,  two,  three,  four,"  he  counted,  slowly.  "  Ah ! 
yes,  there  is  the  fifth  man  'way  forward ;  and  the 
color  and  rig  of  the  vessel  make  it  sure  she  is  the 
Sea  Witch  " 

Captain  Bradley  stood  beside  him,  and  at  his 
words  gave  the  requisite  orders  for  the  course  of  the 
tug  to  be  changed.  Fresh  fuel  was  thrown  on  her 
fires,  and  with  full  steam  on  she  bounded  off  toward 
the  distant  sloop  at  a  high  rate  of  speed. 


BUDD  BO.TD'S  TRIUMPH.  167 


CHAPTER  XYII. 
budd's  escape. 

\  S  BUDD  watched  the  retreating  forms  of  the 
JTx.  \\  ibbers,  so  unceremoniously  abandoning  him 
on  Patience  Island,  he  was  very  far  from  being  dis- 
posed to  grumble  at  his  fate.  On  the  other  hand, 
he  felt  extremely  grateful ;  for  his  condition,  deplor- 
able as  it  was,  was  a  great  deal  better  than  he  had 
expected  it  would  be  when  he  found  he  had  fallen 
into  Bagsley  hands.  He  was,  as  the  captain  of  the 
robber-gang  had  declared,  alive  and  in  good  health, 
and  he  knew  he  could  hold  out  until  his  absence 
should  alarm  Judd  and  send  him  to  his  rescue,  even 
if  he  could  not  free  himself.  But  of  this  latter  he 
did  not  yet  despair ;  for  while  lying  in  the  yawl, 
waiting  for  the  decision  of  the  burglars  as  to  what 
should  be  done  with  him,  he  had  found  he  could 
slightly  work  his  wrists  in  the  cords  that  bound 
them,  and  he  hoped,  after  some  effort,  to  get  them 
free.  But  lest  the  men  should  at  the  last  moment  of 
their  departure  take  a  notion  to  revisit  him,  he  de- 
cided to  make  no  effort  in  this  direction  until  sure 
he  was  alone. 

Around  aboui,  him  he  could  see  the  evidences  of  an 
encampment,  ani  he  quickly  concluded  that  this  had 


168  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPE. 

been  the  rendezvous  of  Bagsley  and  his  companions 
since  robbing  Mr.  Johnson's  house  on  Hope  Island. 
Their  tent  could  not  have  been  seen  by  anyone  pass- 
ing up  or  down  the  bay,  and  so  they  ran  very  little 
risk  of  discovery,  while  they  were  sufficiently  near 
the  scene  of  their  robbery  to  easily  communicate 
with  their  confederates,  for  such  he  now  knew  Wil- 
son and  the  other  strangers  to  be.  But  it  was  not 
until  later  that  Budd  learned  that  Mr.  Johnson's 
house  had  been  made  to  furnish  the  principal  essen- 
tials of  the  burglars'  camping  outfit. 

Budd  now  wondered  which  way  the  villians  would 
go  with  the  sloop,  for  he  felt  sure  the  Block  Island 
plan  had  been  abandoned.  If  they  went  down  the 
bay,  Judd,  whom  he  knew  was  at  the  fish-pounds, 
would  be  likely  to  see  them,  and  a  great  hope  came 
to  the  bound  lad  that  his  partner  might  recognize 
the  fleeing  robbers ;  for  he  then  knew  Judd  would 
at  once  suspect  their  plans  and  try  to  capture  them. 
This  hope  now  became  his  inspiration  and  his 
prayer. 

But  he  did  not  mean  for  a  single  instant  to  give 
up  his  own  efforts  to  escape  and  to  warn  the  proper 
authorities  of  his  discovery ;  for  Budd  was  not 
thinking  so  much  of  the  reward  that  had  been 
offered  for  the  apprehension  of  the  burglars  as  he 
was  of  the  bringing  of  them  to  justice,  and  thus 
securing  a  hold  upon  Bagsley.  Still,  first  in  his 
thoughts  w^as  the  releasing  of  his  father  and  the  vin- 
dication of  his  name. 

He  had  been  bound  with  his  hands  in  front  of 


BUBB  BOYD'S  TIUUMPU.  169 

him,  tied  simply  at  the  wrists.  He  had  been  secured 
to  the  tree  by  wrappings  of  the  cord  from  his  feet 
to  his  shoulders,  and  the  knot  that  held  the  cord  was 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  tree.  His  first  effort  was, 
then,  to  slip  the  rope  from  his  wrists.  This  he 
accomplished  after  quite  a  struggle,  that  bruised  and 
lacerated  his  arms  and  hands  until  they  bled. 

His  next  effort  w'as  to  raise  his  arms  up  out  from 
the  wrappings  of  the  cord  that  bound  him  to  the 
tree.  First  the  right,  then  the  left  arm  was  released, 
and  to  Budd's  satisfaction  he  found  their  release 
loosened  the  cord  so  that  he  could  move  himself  a 
little  in  his  wrappings.  Had  he  only  had  his  jack- 
knife,  the  question  of  release  would  have  been  de- 
cided in  a  moment;  but  this  he  had  lost  in  his 
struggle  with  Wilson  on  the  sloop's  deck.  He  must, 
then,  find  some  other  way  to  remove  the  rope. 

The  ground  where  the  tree  stood  was  uneven, 
being  higher  where  he  was  than  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  tree.  Could  he  not,  then,  work  slowly 
about  the  tree  inside  of  his  wrappings  until  he  could 
with  his  right  hand  reach  the  knot  that  secured  the 
rope  ?  He  knew  it  must  be  slow  work,  and  he  must 
be  sure  the  rope  did  not  turn  with  him,  or  else  his 
efforts  would  be  in  vain.  He  determined  to  make 
the  attempt. 

First  he  strained  his  wrappings  to  their  fullest 
extent,  and  then,  before  they  could  slip  back  against 
him,  he  made  a  sudden  hitch  to  the  right.  He 
thought  he  gained  a  trifle,  and  thus  encouraged,  he 
tried  again.     Once,  twice,  ten,  fifty  times  he  re- 


170  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

peated  the  effort,  and  then  he  knew  he  had  gained. 
Objects  had  been  brought  into  vision  that  he  had 
not  seen  when  first  bound  to  the  tree ;  objects  he 
had  seen  were  now  lost  to  view. 

All  that  afternoon,  with  frequent  intervals  of 
rest,  he  kept  up  his  struggle,  and  just  at  dark  he 
found  he  could  touch  the  end  of  the  rope  that 
formed  the  knot,  and  a  thrill  of  joy  filled  his  heart, 
A  few  minutes  later  he  was  able  to  take  a  full, 
strong  hold  upon  this  end  of  the  rope,  and  from  that 
moment  his  progress  Avas  accelerated.  Then,  tired, 
aching  in  every  bone,  with  his  coat  worn  thread- 
bare by  its  constant  rubbing  against  the  tree,  he  at 
length  reached  a  place  where-  he  could  use  both 
hands  upon  the  knot  and  untie  it.  To  unwind  the 
wrappings  was  now  but  a  few  minutes'  work,  and 
somewhere  about  six  hours  after  he  had  been  fast- 
ened to  the  tree  he  found  himself  free  again. 
,  It  w^as,  however,  too  dark  for  him  to  attempt  to 
leave  the  island,  or  to  search  out  a  way  to  leave  it ; 
and  so,  crawling  under  the  shelter  of  the  great  rock 
from  behind  which  the  robbers  had  first  appeared 
that  afternoon,  he,  without  supper  and  without  cov- 
ering, laid  himself  down  to  sleep. 

It  was  a  restless,  wakeful  sleep,  and  with  the  very 
first  show  of  morning  light  Budd  w^as  astir.  He 
first  ran  up  and  down  the  shore  until  his  quickened 
blood  brought  warmth  to  his  chilled  body;  for 
though  it  was  summer  weather,  there  had  been  a 
dampness  and  low  temperature  in  the  sea  air  suffi- 
cient to  make  him  uncomfortable.     Then  he  sought 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  Vtl 

along  the  beach  for  some  signs  of  shell-fish,  and 
soon  found  clinging  to  the  rocks  some  yellow  mus- 
sels. Though  not  the  most  delicious  of  bivalves  he 
managed  to  swallow  a.  dozen  or  two  of  them,  and 
their  sharp,  peppery  taste  served  as  a  stimulant. 
A  drink  of  brackish  water  from  a  tiny  stream  trick- 
ling down  a  rock  into  the  sea  completed  his  breakfast. 

As  the  sun  rose,  Budd's  spirits  rose  with  it,  and 
he  searched  the  island  completely  around  for  some 
log  or  plank,  on  which  he  could  venture  to  leave  the 
island.  He  was  not  successful  in  his  search,  how- 
ever, and  finally  came  back  to  his  starting-point 
empty-handed. 

" I've  got  to  swim  for  it,"  he  commented,  "and  if 
I  do  that.  Prudence  Island  should  be  my  landing- 
place.  Once  there,  I  can  get  food,  and  doubtless  a 
boat  to  take  me  over  to  the  west  shore." 

With  these  words  he  walked  along  to  the  south- 
east point  of  the  island,  and  looked  across  to  its 
nearest  and  larger  neighbor, 

"  It  would  not  be  much  of  a  swim  if  I  had  a  de- 
cent breakfast  to  work  upon,"  he  said  to  himself ; 
"■  but  I  shall  have  to  wait  until  I  get  over  there  be- 
fore I  get  it. 

"  I  presume  I  might  wait  awhile,  and  some  boat 
would  come  along  and  take  me  off,"  he  went  on, 
gazing  up  and  down  the  bay,  "  But  the  quickest 
way  is  to  depend  on  myself,  and  it  is  time  I  was 
going,  if  I  am  going  to  put  any  one  on  Bagsley's 
track,  I  wonder  where  Judd  is,  and  if  he  has 
started  to  look  me  up  ?" 


172  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

There  was  no  one  to  answer  his  question,  and  he 
did  not  stop  long  to  dehberate. 

Taking  off  his  clothes,  he  wrapped  them  in  as 
small  a  bundle  as  possible,  and  t^'ing  them  together 
with  his  suspenders  he  fastened  them  on  top  of  his 
head.  He  then  entered  the  water,  and  swam  slowly 
across  the  narrow  channel  that  separated  him  from 
Prudence  Island,  He  was  quite  used  up  when  he 
crawled  out  on  the  beach  and  began  to  dress  him- 
self. Then  he  walked  down  along  the  narrow  neck 
of  land  that  is  at  the  north  end  of  the  island  until 
he  came  to  a  farm-house,  where  he  stopped  and 
asked  for  food. 

He  simply  told  the  farmer  that  he  had  got  left 
on  Patience  Island,  and  had  remained  there  all 
night ;  that  he  had  with  the  coming  morning  swam 
across  to  that  island,  and  would  like,  first,  some 
food,  and  then  to  secure  a  boat  to  take  him  across 
to  the  main  shore.  The  farmer  at  once  asked  him 
into  breakfast,  which  was  already  upon  the  table, 
but  told  him  he  would  have  to  go  farther  down  the 
island  to  obtain  a  boat. 

Budd  accepted  the  kind  invitation,  and  ate  with 
relish  the  food  put  before  him  ;  and  if  the  greatest 
compliment  that  can  be  paid  a  housewife  is  to  show 
an  appreciation  of  her  cookery,  then  that  farmer's 
wife  received  from  Budd  that  morning  a  stupendous 
compliment. 

He  had  a  little  money  with  him,  and  on  leaving 
he  offered  to  pay  his  host  for  the  breakfast ;  but  the 
man  refused. 


Btfbb  Bottys  TnWMPH.  173 

"I  may  be  in  the  same  box  some  day,"  he  re- 
marked, "and  if  I'm  not,  some  one  else  may  be 
whom  3^ou  can  help.  So  just  pass  the  favor  on  to 
him." 

Budd  readily  promised  to  do  this,  and  with  a 
heart}'  "  Thank  you  "  for  his  entertainment,  hurried 
down  the  shore. 

His  breakfast  had  given  him  new  strength,  his 
bath  in  the  cool  salt  water  had  soothed  his  bruised 
and  aching  body,  and  he  felt  equal  to  almost  his 
usual  amount  of  work.  "When,  therefore,  he  stopped 
at  the  house  where  he  had  been  told  he  could  secure 
a  boat  and  received  the  reply  : 

"  I  can  let  you  have  a  boat,  but  you  will  have  to 
row  yourself  over,  and  bring  back  the  boat  at  your 
earliest  convenience,  for  we  are  too  busy  to  spare  a 
single  hand,"  he  accepted  the  offer. 

The  farmer  accompanied  him  down  to  the  shore, 
and  showing  him  which  boat  he  was  to  take, 
cautioned  him  about  being  sure  to  return  it.  Budd 
assured  the  man  that  he  need  have  no  fears  on  that 
score;  but  he  little  knew  how  soon  he  was  to  return  it. 

Shoving  off  the  boat,  he  embarked  upon  it  and 
rowed  rapidly  out  into  the  bay.  Hope  Island  was 
plainly  visible  to  the  west,  and  he  shaped  his  course 
so  as  to  pass  the  south  end  of  it,  for  he  had  no  desire 
to  visit  Mr.  Johnson  again.  Yet  he  of  his  own 
accord  was  in  an  hour  to  land  there  and  hold  a  re- 
markable interview  with  that  gentleman.  So  little 
is  it  that  we  reaUy  know  what  we  shall  do  from 
hour  to  hour. 


1^4:  BUBD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

Half  the  distance  between  the  two  islands  had 
been  accomplished,  and  Budd  had  a  clear,  uninter- 
rupted view  down  between  Prudence  and  Conanicut 
Islands  into  the  east  bay.  His  first  glance  in  that 
direction  filled  him  with  sheer  amazement,  for  just 
emerging  from  the  east  passage,  and  coming  directly 
toward  him,  was  a,  sloop,  and  even  at  that  distance 
he  had  no  difficulty  in  recognizing  her  as  the  Sea 
Witch.  He  could  see  but  two  persons  upon  her,  and 
yet  there  might  be  more  in  the  cabin.  Was  it  the 
burglars  returning  to  carry  out  some  forgotten  or 
newly-formed  purpose,  and  should  he  flee  from  them 
as  for  his  life  ?  Or  had  Judd,  as  he  had  hoped  and 
prayed,  rescued  the  sloop  from  the  robbers'  hands, 
and  was  he  now  coming  to  look  for  his  missing 
chum? 

These  were  questions  Budd  could  not  answer,  and 
with  a  deep  misgiving  he  turned  the  bow  of  his  boat 
and  rowed  directly  for  Hope  Island,  believing  that 
it  was  preferable  to  meet  Mr.  Johnson  and  his  hot 
displeasure  to  falling  again  into  the  hands  of  Bags- 
ley  and  his  gang. 

But  before'  he  had  rowed  half  the  distance  neces- 
sary to  reach  the  island  the  sloop  had  come  up  be- 
fore the  morning  breeze  with  a  rapidity  to  be  in 
hailing  distance.  Then  there  rang  out  from  her 
three  such  yells  as  only  Judd  could  give ;  and  full  of 
surprise  and  joy,  Budd  turned  about  his  boat  and 
went  down  to  meet  her. 


budd  boTb's  TRitrMPA  Its 


I 


CHAPTER  XYin. 

CAUGHT. 

T  "WAS  in  truth  the  Sea  Witch,  and  in  order  to 
understand  how  she  appeared  off  Hope  Island  so 
early  that  morning  we  must  go  back  a  few  hours  in 
our  story. 

We  left  Judd  and  Mr.  Avery  standing  upon  the 
forward  deck  of  the  tug  Thetis  not  far  from  five 
o'clock  the  eveninof  before.  The  tuff  was  off  Beaver 
Tail,  and  had  just  sighted  and  begun  her  chase  after 
the  retreating  sloop.  The  wind  was  a  strong  one 
from  the  southwest,  and  the  Sea  Witch  was  so 
rapid  a  sailer  that  at  six  o'clock  the  tug,  though 
running  at  a  high  rate  of  speed,  had  not  gained  over 
a  half-mile  upon  her.  At  seven  o'clock  they  were 
still  a  mile  apart,  and  it  was  now  evident  that  be- 
fore the  tug  could  overhaul  her  darkness  would  have 
closed  around. 

Lest  the  suspicion  of  the  burglars  might  be 
aroused,  Mr.  Avery  had  requested  Captain  Bradley 
to  keep  the  tug  a  point  or  two  off  of  the  exact 
course  of  the  sloop ;  so  it  happened  that  while  the 
Sea  Witch  was  steadily  working  up  toward  the  east 
shore  of  Buzzard's  Bay  the  Thetis  was  on  a  course 
that  would  have  carried  her  into  Vineyard  Sound. 


Ite  BUDi)  BOYD' 8  tittUMPS. 

But  Cutty  hunk  Island  was  now  just  ahead,  and  the 
tug  must  soon  alter  her  course  or  she  would  lose 
sight  of  the  sloop. 

Captain  Bradley  was  about  to  give  the  necessary 
orders  to  effect  this  change,  when  a  movement  on 
the  part  of  the  Sea  Witch  caused  him  to  alter  his 
purpose.  Her  helm  had  been  thrown  up,  and 
swinging  to  the  right,  she  ran  directly  into  Chutty- 
hunk  Island. 

"  The  rascals  are  going  to  hold  on  there  to-night," 
said  the  captain  as  he  watched  the  sloop's  course, 
"  or  else  hold  up  to  a  later  hour,  and  then  run  into 
the  main  shore  and  separate.  But  whatever  their 
purpose,  we  have  got  them.  I  know  like  a  book  the 
cove  they  have  entered,  and  we'll  keep  up  the  east 
side  of  the  island  and  land  some  one  to  watch  their 
movements.  Before  morning  I'U  promise  to  bag  the 
whole  gang." 

A  few  minutes  after  the  Thetis  ran  in  under  the 
east  shore  of  Cuttyhunk,  and  a  boat  landed  the  cap- 
tain, Mr.  Avery  and  Judd.  Slowly  and  cautiously, 
under  the  lead  of  the  stalwart  captain,  they  made 
their  w^ay  across  to  the  west  side.  Here  they  found 
a  little  cove,  and  close  inshore,  and  sheltered  by  its 
curving  arms,  lay  the  Sea  Witch  at  anchor.  A  light 
was  in  her  cabin,  and  a  boat  with  two  men  in  it  was 
just  pushing  off  from  her  side. 

"  We  are  just  in  time,  and  may  learn  something 
to  our  advantage,"  whispered  the  captain,  as  he 
drew  his  companions  back  into  the  shelter  of  a 
clump  of  trees. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  \*i*i 

The  boat  from  the  sloop  landed  almost  directly 
opposite  the  concealed  men,  and  the  two  robbers 
jumped  out  and  pulled  it  farther  up  the  beach. 

"  There,"  said  one,  "  that  will  stay  there  until  we 
come  back.  The  captain  said  we  would  find  the 
water  down  here  to  the  right.  Take  the  bucket  and 
come  on."' 

The  man  addressed  took  a  pail  from  the  boat  and 
followed  the  speaker  down  the  shore. 

"That  proves  that  the  leader  of  the  gang  is 
acquainted  with  this  cove,  and  their  coming  here 
w^as  intentional,"  remarked  Captain  Bradley  in  an 
undertone  as  the  men  disappeared.  "  Fifty  yards 
to  the  south  is  a  small  spring,  but  a  man  must  have 
been  here  before  to  know  of  it.  So  much  then  we 
have  learned,  and  we  may  get  some  more  important 
facts  out  of  these  fellows  before  they  go  back  to  the 
sloop." 

Soon  the  men  came  back  to  their  boat,  one  bring- 
ing the  bucket  of  water,  and  the  other  an  armful  of 
dead  sticks  he  had  gathered  up.  Putting  their  bur- 
dens into  the  boat,  they  sat  down  upon  the  bow, 
filled  their  pipes,  and  lighting  them  began  to  smoke, 
evidently  in  no  hurr}'^  to  depart. 

"  I  say,  Tom,"  said  one  of  them  in  a  moment,  "  do 
you  suppose  we  are  going  to  get  out  of  this  scrape 
all  right  V  and  there  was  apprehension  in  his  voice. 

"  Oh  !  I  think  so,"  carelessly  answered  the  other. 
"  I  see  no  reason  to  believe  we  are  even  suspected ; 
and  to-morrow  we  will  run  down  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Ilyannis,  wait  until  after  dark,  then  scuttle 


I'i'S  StlDli  SOYD'8  TtilVMPB. 

the  sloop,  and  separate.  From  different  stations  in 
that  vicinity  we  can  work  into  Boston,  and  once 
there,  dispose  of  the  booty,  divide  up,  and  be  off  to 
some  other  part  of  the  country  for  another  job.  It's 
a  good,  stiff  haul  we've  made  this  time;  a  cool 
thousand  apiece." 

"  That  is  Bagsley,"  Judd  said  to  his  companions  in 
a  suppressed  whisper. 

The  burglars  finished  their  smoke  without  any 
further  conversation  that  was  of  special  value  to  the 
listeners,  and  then  pushed  off  the  boat  and  went 
back  to  the  sloop. 

As  soon  as  they  were  out  of  hearing  Judd  turned 
to  Captain  Bradley  and  asked  : 

"  Couldn't  we  bring  your  yawl  across  to  this  cove, 
captain  ?" 

"I  think  so.  "What  then?"  he  asked,  with  in- 
terest. 

"  Well,  then  let  us  go  back  to  the  tug  and  give 
your  men  orders  to  bring  her  around  to  this  side  of 
the  island,  and  lie  in  wait  off  the  southern  point  of 
the  cove.  Then  we  will  return  to  the  shore  in  the 
yawl,  bring  it  over  here,  and  wait  until  the  burglars 
are  quiet  for  the  night.  Attlie  proper  time  we  will 
go  silently  off  to  the  sloop,  shut  down  her  hatch, 
give  the  tug  the  signal  to  come  on,  and  boat  and 
men  are  ours." 

Mr.  Avery  and  the  captain  discussed  the  plan  at 
some  length.  It  would  involve  hard  work,  but 
would  offer  two  special  advantages :  They  would 
approach  the  sloop  from  a  quarter  that  danger 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TBltrMPff,  \*l% 

would  be  the  least  suspected,  and  hence  the  chances 
of  success  would  be  materially  strengthened.  Again, 
in  case  of  discovery,  a  force  would  be  on  both  the 
sea  and  the  land  side  of  the  Sea  "VVitch,  and  the 
burglars  would  be  less  likely  to  escape.  With  a 
little  change  in  the  details,  Judd's  suggestion  was 
adopted. 

The  captain  went  back  to  the  tug  and  gave  orders 
for  her  to  go  around  to  the  other  side  of  the  island; 
he  then  returned  to  the  shore,  and  under  the  united 
efforts  of  the  trio  the  yawl  was  carried  over  to  the 
cove  and  safely  launched  there.  Then  the  lad  was 
sent  down  to  the  southern  point  to  watch  for  the 
arrival  of  the  tug.  When  a  light  was  flashed  three 
times  in  succession  from  her  starboard  quarter  he 
was  to  know  that  she  was  in  readiness  and  waiting 
only  for  a  return  signal  to  steam  down  into  the 
cove.  Going  back  with  this  information  to  Mr. 
Avery  and  Captain.  Bradley,  the  boat  was  tnen  to  be 
shoved  off  and  the  visit  to  the  sloop  made. 

Judd  reached  the  point  safely  and  began  his 
watch.  A  half-hour  passed,  and  then  through  the 
darkness  he  saw  the  light  of  the  tug  for  a  brief  mo- 
ment as  she  rounded  the  southern  end  of  Cuttyhunk 
and  came  due  north.  She  came  slowly,  that  as  little 
sound  as  possible  might  escape  her,  and  another  half- 
hour  elapsed  before  he  received  the  signal.  Then 
every  bght  about  the  vessel  suddenly  went  out,  and 
the  most  watchful  observer  would  not  have  suspected 
she  was  lying  in  wait  there. 

Rising  from  the  ground,  Judd  swiftly  but  noise- 


180  BUDD  BOTD'S  TRIUMPH. 

lessly  went  along  the  shore  toward  the  place  where 
his  com}3anions  were  waiting  for  his  return.  He  had 
nearly  reached  the  spot  where  he  thought  the  boat 
ought  to  be,  when  a  dark  form  rose  up  suddenly  be- 
fore him. 

"Captain,"  he  exclaimed,  in  a  low  tone. 

"  Yes,"  was  the  reply,  and  Captain  Bradley  stepped 
along  to  his  side.  "  I  thought  you  were  long  in  com- 
ing," he  then  explained,  "  and  so  had  started  to  look 
you  up." 

"  Has  there  been  any  movement  on  the  part  of  the 
burglars  ?"  the  lad  asked,  as  they  now  went  on  to 
the  boat,  where  they  found  Mr.  Avery. 

"  None,"  replied  the  captain.  "  We  occasionally 
hear  sounds  of  laughter,  and  think  they  are  all  in 
the  cabin,  and  the  question  arises  whether  we  had 
better  go  off  at  once  or  wait  until  all  is  quiet  on  the 
sloop." 

"  They  will  be  likely  to  set  a  watch  later,"  said 
Judd  quickly.  "  If  we  can  run  off  now  and  get 
under  the  starboard  side  of  the  sloop  without  being 
discovered,  I  will  agree  to  shut  down  the  hatch  and 
fasten  it  before  a  single  one  can  escape.  We  shall 
then  have  them  at  a  disadvantage,  and  can  compel 
them  to  come  out  one  by  one,  and  disarm  and  bind 
them." 

"Well,  we  will  try  it,"  was  the  decision  of  his 
companions,  and  the  boat  was  pushed  off  and  slowly 
sculled  by  Captain  Bradley  toward  the  sloop. 

Mr.  Avery  sat  amidships,  while  Judd  occupied  the 
extreme  bow.    All  had  their  revolvers  in  readiness 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  181 

and  were  alert  for  the  very  first  indication  that  they 
had  been  discovered. 

Silently  the  boat  approached  the  sloop,  Avhich 
swunt?  bow  toward  it.  In  and  under  the  shadow 
cast  even  in  the  darkness  by  her  bow  the  yawl 
swiftly  shot,  and  then  stopped.  The  voices  of  the 
burglars  could  be  distinctly  heard,  and  they  were 
evidently  making  the  night  ring  with  their  songs 
and  laughter.  Sounds  of  drinking  and  feasting  sug- 
gested, also,  that  they  were  still  at  their  supper. 
No  -one  was  on  deck,  and  no  thought  of  capture  had 
apparently  come  to  the  robbers'  minds. 

Agam  the  yawl  moved  silently  forward,  and 
paused  under  the  starboard  quarter  of  the  sloop, 
and  just  adjacent  to  her  cabin.  Judd  knew  his  time 
for  action  had  come,  and  he  arose  and  braced  him- 
self for  it. 

The  opening  into  the  cabin  was  for  convenience 
and  ventilation  made  in  two  parts — one  upright,  the 
other  horizontal.  The  upright  portion  was  a  door, 
and  swung  upon  hinges  from  the  starboard  side  of 
the  cabin  toward  its  larboard  end.  The  horizontal 
part  was  a  sliding  hatch  at  the  top  of  the  cabin,  and 
to  close  it,  it  had  to  be  shoved  tow^ard  the  stern-end 
of  the  cabin,  directly  over  the  upright,  where  it  fast- 
ened down  into  its  place  with  an  iron  clamp.  Both 
swinging  door  and  sliding  hatch  were  made  of  solid 
wood,  and  when  closed  and  fastened  could  not  easily 
be  opened  from  the  inside  of  the  cabin. 

All  this  Judd  knew ;  and  he  was,  moreover,  at 
the  one  point  where  he  could  reach  both  parts  that 


182  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

were  to  be  closed  without  himself  being  seen.  For  a 
brief  moment  he  steadied  himself  on  the  bow  of  the 
yawl ;  then  laying  one  hand  on  the  rail  of  the  sloop, 
he  jumped  lightly  on  board.  His  weight  swayed 
the  craft  somewhat,  but  before  the  burglars,  sur- 
prised at  the  sudden  lurch,  could  spring  even  to 
their  feet,  he  had  reached  the  opening.  In  an 
instant  his  left  hand  swung-to  the  upright  door  and 
his  right  hand  shoved  the  slide  into  place ;  down 
came  the  clamp  with  a  jerk ;  the  iron  bar  was 
thrust  into  the  socket,  and  all  was  secure  before  the 
burglars  had  recovered  from  their  first  shock  of 
surprise. 

Loud  curses  now  followed,  and  heavy  blows  were 
struck  upon  the  closed  door.     Then  a  voice  cried : 

"  Open  that  hatch,  or  we'll  fire  through  it !"  and 
the  click  of  a  revolver  was  heard. 

"  Two  can  play  at  that  game,  m}^  hearties,"  rang 
out  the  voice  of  the  stalwart  captain  as  he  sprung 
on  board,  followed  by  Mr.  Avery. 

Then  he  drew  his  revolver  and  fired  twice  in  the 
air.     It  was  the  signal  for  the  tug  to  approach. 

These  movements  on  the  part  of  the  captors  were 
not  without  their  effect  on  the  imprisoned  men.  A 
silence  suddenly  fell  upon  them,  broken  at  length 
by  the  leader  of  the  gang  asking : 

"  Who  are  you,  and  what  do  3^ou  mean  by  closing 
us  up  in  here?  You  will  find  it  is  a  joke  we  wiU 
not  stand." 

"And  you  will  find  it  is  no  joke  at  all,"  responded 
Mr.  Avery,  promptly.     "  I  am  an  officer  in  pursuit 


X    2. 


184  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

of  you  on  three  or  four  charges,  the  last  and  least 
of  which  is  running  away  with  this  sloop.  We  have 
a  tug  close  at  hand,  and  outnumber  yo\x  in  men  and 
weapons,  as  well  as  in  the  advantage  of  situation. 
So  I  advise  you  to  keep  perfectly  quiet." 

The  sound  of  the  approaching  tug  was  plainly 
discernible,  to  confirm  his  words,  and  silence  again 
fell  on  the  discomfited  burglars. 

"  "We  are  in  Massachusetts  waters ;  how  dare  you 
trouble  us?"  one  of  the  men,  after  awhile,  called 
out. 

"I  believe  a  man  has  a  right  to  his  property 
wherever  he  finds  it,"  responded  Mr.  Avery,  coolly ; 
"  and  one  of  the  owners  of  this  sloop  is  on  board 
now.  "We  are  just  going  to  hitch  on  to  the  craft,  at 
his  request,  and  tow  her  home.  It  is  your  mis- 
fortune to  be  in  her  just  at  this  time,  but  we  cannot 
stop  now  to  let  3'^ou  get  off.  As  to  your  arrest,  we'll 
see  to  that  when  we  are  in  Rhode  Island  waters." 

The  tug  had  now  come  alongside  of  the  captured 
vessel,  and  her  anchor  w^as  weighed  and  she  was 
lashed  to  the  larger  boat,  so  that  a  passage  from  one 
to  the  other  could  be  easily  made.  Then  the  word 
was  given,  and  the  Thetis  steamed  rapidly  off  on 
her  return. 

When  out  so  far  from  land  that  any  escape  of  the 
prisoners  was  impossible,  the  door  of  the  sloop's 
cabin  was  unfastened, and  the  men  were  ordered  out 
one  by  one.  Bagsley  and  the  leader  of  the  gang 
showed  a  little  disposition  to  fight  at  first,  but  when 
their  three  comrades  yielded  they  evidently  thought 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  185 

discretion  the  better  part  of  valor,  and  sullenly- 
obeyed. 

Each  one,  as  he  came  out,  was  disarmed  and 
bound ;  then  all  were  returned  to  the  cabin  of  the 
sloop.  Bagsley,  when  he  first  caught  sight  of  Judd 
Floyd,  seemed  to  think  that  he  was  Budd  Boyd,  but 
learned  his  mistake  at  once  when  he  was  questioned 
as  to  Budd's  whereabouts,  and  angrily  refused  to 
tell.  One  of  his  companions,  however,  revealed  that 
the  lad  had  been  left  bound  on  Patience  Island, 
and  Mr,  Avery  consented,  at  Judd's  urgent  request, 
to  visit  the  island  early  in  the  morning  and  release 
Budd. 

At  midnight,  or  a  little  after,  the  Thetis  was  in 
Newport.  A  strong  guard  was  placed  over  the 
captured  men,  and  Mr.  Aver}'-  and  Judd  took  pos- 
session of  two  of  the  tug's  bunks,  and  slept  soundly 
until  early  morning.  Then  a  breakfast  was  fur- 
nished the  prisoners  one  by  one,  after  which  they 
were  again  bound  securely  and  replaced  in  the  cabin 
of  the  sloop.  '  Mr.  Avery  drew  his  check  for  one 
hundred  dollars  and  gave  it  to  Captain  Bradley  ; 
then  he  and  Judd  entered  the  sloop  and  set  sail  for 
Patience  Island. 

As  they  came  out  of  the  east  passage  they  saw  a 
boat  with  a  single  occupant  crossing  over  from  Pru- 
dence Island  toward  the  south  end  of  Hope,  and  the 
moment  it  turned  and  was  pulled  rapidly  for  the 
latter  Judd  suspected  who  the  occupant  was.  When 
a  little  nearer,  he  was  sure  it  was  Budd,  whom  he 
was  seeking,  and  who  had  in  some  way  escaped 


186  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

from  his  bonds ;  so  he  sent  forth  the  three  yells  that 
he  knew  his  partner  would  recognize,  and  which 
caused  him  to  turn  about,  and  with  both  surprise 
and  joy  come  on  to  meet  the  approaching  sloop ;  a 
surprise  and  joy  that  was  destined  to  merge  into  a 
feeling  of  triumph  when  he  learned  what  and  whom 
the  sloop  contained. 


BUDJJ  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  187 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

MK.    JOHNSON   IS   ASTONISHED. 

THE  Sea  Witch  was  lujffed  up  into  the  wind  as 
Budd  came  alongside,  and  in  another  moment 
he  had  leaped  on  board  of  her,  and  was  shaking 
hands  with  his  chum  and  with  the  constable.  A 
single  glance  through  the  open  door  of  the  cabin 
now  revealed  to  him  the  prisoners,  and  too  full  of 
happiness  at  the  sudden  revelation  to  speak,  he 
turned  toward  Judd  an  inquiring  look. 

"Yes,"  he  said  proudly,  at  once  interpreting  his 
partner's  look,  and  understanding  something  of  his 
feelings,  "  we  have  got  the  burglars,  their  booty, 
and  all  their  traps." 

"  Tell  me  about  it,"  Budd  managed  to  say, 

"No,  your  story  comes  first,"  remonstrated  Judd. 

So  Budd  began  with  his  meeting  of  Mr.  Wilson 
at  the  village  the  afternoon  before,  and  told  all  he 
had  passed  through  until  he  had  run  in  with  the 
sloop.  When  he  had  done,  Judd  and  Mr.  Avery 
together  gave  him  a  full  account  of  the  chase  and 
capture  of  the  burglars  from  the  moment  that  Judd 
had  discovered  them  running  away  with  the  Sea 
Witch. 

Then  Judd  said : 


188  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

"  We  were  on  our  Avay  up  to  Patience  Island  to 
release  you,  after  which  we  were  going  into  Hope 
Island  to  notify  Mr.  Johnson  of  the  burglars'  cap- 
ture. Mr.  Avery  thinks  much  of  the  camping  stuff 
they  have  was  taken  from  his  house,  and  that  he 
may  wish  to  bring  action  against  them  simultane- 
ously with  Clapp  &  St.  John.  Now  that  we  have 
met  you,  however,  we  are  saved  the  trip  up  to 
Patience,  and  we  will  go  directly  over  to  Hope 
Island." 

"Run  over  to  Prudence  and  let  me  return  this 
boat  first,"  said  Budd.  "  I  don't  need  it  now,  and  it 
will  save  a  trip  over  here  on  purpose  to  bring  it." 

"  So  it  will,"  assented  Judd ;  and  the  sloop  was 
headed  in  that  direction. 

The  farmer  was  surprised  to  have  his  boat  re- 
turned within  a  half-hour  of  the  time  it  had  been 
taken,  but  opened  his  eyes  in  wider  astonishment  when 
Mr.  Avery,  who  was  acquainted  with  him,  gave  him 
a  full  account  of  Budd's  experiences  and  showed  him 
the  prisoners. 

The  run  across  to  Hope  Island  was  made  in  less 
than  another  half-hour,  and  Budd,  at  the  request  of 
his  companions,  who  knew  he  had  special  reasons 
for  seeing  Mr.  Johnson,  landed  and  went  up  toward 
that  gentleman's  residence. 

As  he  approached  the  building  he  could  not  help 
noticing  the  changes  that  had  taken  place  since  he 
was  there  scarcely  a  week  before.  The  shutters 
were  off  of  the  house,  windows  were  open,  lawns 
were  mown,  chairs  and  settees  were  out  on  the 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  igg 

veranda,  and  everywhere  there  were  signs  of  occu- 
pancy. 

Walking  boldly  up  to  the  front  door,  Budd  rang 
the  bell.  A  servant  answered  his  ring,  and  the  lad 
politely  asked  her  if  Mr.  Johnson  was  at   home. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  she  replied ;  and  then,  evidently  think- 
ing from  the  boy's  appearance  he  was  looking  for 
work,  she  added,  "  but  he  has  all  the  help  he 
desires." 

Budd  smiled  a  little. 

"  I  do  not  wish  work,  but  desire  to  see  Mr.  John- 
son on  important  busmess,"  he  replied,  with  a 
marked  emphasis  on  the  next  to  the  last  word. 

"  Who  shall  I  tell  him  wishes  to  see  him  ?"  the 
girl  asked,  doubtfully. 

"  A  gentleman,"  answered  Budd,  fearing  to  give 
his  own  name,  and  thus  be  refused  an  interview 
with  the  man  he  sought. 

The  girl  hesitatingly  showed  Budd  into  the  recep- 
tion-room and  went  off  to  call  her  master. 

With  some  doubts  as  to  the  reception  he  should 
receive,  but  elated  at  the  revelations  he  had  to 
make,  the  lad  arose  to  meet  Mr.  Johnson  as  he 
entered.  Before  he  could  speak  a  word,  however, 
he  was  recognized,  and  the  gentleman  exclaimed, 
angrily : 

"Budd  Boyd!  How  dare  you  enter  ray  house, 
sir  ?" 

"  I  have  business  with  you,  Mr.  Johnson,"  Budd 
replied  gravely,  and  with  dignity. 

Something  in  his  quiet  tones  and  self-possessed 


190  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIVMPH. 

manner  soothed  Mr.  Johnson's  anger,  and  he  asked, 
shortly : 

"What  is  it?" 

"May  I  sit  down,  sir?  I  have  several  most 
astonishinof  revelations  to  make,"  said  Budd,  notic- 
ing the  impression  he  had  made. 

Mr.  Johnson  without  a  word  motioned  the  boy  to 
a  chair,  and  taking  one  near  by,  waited  for  him  to 
speak. 

"  Do  you  remember  the  conversation  I  had  with 
you  about  Thomas  H.  Bagsley,  when  in  your  oflBce 
last  March  ?"  Budd  now  asked. 

"  I  do,"  said  the  gentleman  addressed,  briefly  and 
haughtily. 

"  You  may  remember  that  as  I  left  your  office  he 
entered,  making  it  evident  that  he  had  been  listen- 
ing to  our  conversation,"  continued  the  lad. 

"  What  makes  you  think  so  ?"  asked  Mr.  Johnson 
with  a  start,  and  for  the  first  time  beginning  to 
show  an  interest  in  the  conversation. 

"  Because  of  his  own  words  and  threats  to  me  the 
next  morning,"  responded  Budd;  and  he  rapidly 
described  the  altercation  that  then  occurred. 

"  I  immediately  left  the  city,"  he  went  on,  "  and 
did  not  see  Bagsley  again  until  a  week  ago  last 
Saturday  evening.  But  meanwhile  he  left  your 
employ." 

"Yes,"  assented  Mr.  Johnson,  "he  was  thor- 
oughly incompetent  for  his  duties;  and,  then" — he 
hesitated  a  moment,  but  eventually  finished  his 
sentence — "  and,  then,  I  felt  I  could  not  trust  him." 


BUDD  BOTD'S  TRIUMPH.  191 

"Your  fears  were  well  grounded,"  said  Budd, 
with  a  little  secret  exultation  over  Mr.  Johnson's 
admission. 

Then  he  described  the  visit  of  Bagsley  and  his 
two  companions  to  Fox  Island,  and  the  statements 
and  declarations  he  and  his  partner  had  overheard. 

"  It  was  this  visit  to  our  island,  Mr.  Johnson,  that 
sent  me  over  to  your  island  last  Wednesday,  vrhen 
I  was  so  unfortunate  as  to  place  my.self  in  your 
hands  and  be  arrested  as  the  party  who  had  robbed 
your  house,"  he  added. 

"That  does  nicely  for  a  story,"  replied  Mr. 
Johnson,  incredulously ;  "  but  if  true,  why  didn't 
you  at  once  tell  me,  or  make  it  known  at  least  at 
3'our  trial?  It  looks  altogether  like  an  ingenious 
attempt  on  your  and  your  partner's  part  to  get  me 
to  withdraw  my  charge  against  you." 

Budd  laughed. 

"  I  admit  it,  sir,"  he  said ;  "  but  if  you  remember, 
I  did  beg  you  to  hear  my  story,  and  had  you  con- 
sented I  should  have  told  you  all  this  at  that  time. 
In  the  court  I  did  not  wish  to  tell  it,  for  I  had 
another  purpose  in  mind ;"  and  he  rapidly  explained 
to  Mr.  Johnson  what  he  hoped  to  achieve  from 
Bagsley's  arrest,  and  that  he  was  fearful,  if  he  had 
disclosed  what  he  did  know  about  his  enemy  and 
his  gang  at  the  time  of  his  own  trial,  it  would  have 
been  premature  and  would  have  thwarted  his 
purpose. 

Mr.  Johnson  listened  respectfully,  but  at  the  close 
of  Budd's  lengthy  explanation  declared  he  was  not 


193  nUDD  HOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

jet  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the  lad's  state- 
ments. 

"  I  am  not  through,"  said .  Budd  with  another 
laugh,  for  he  knew  the  proofs  of  the  truth  of  all 
his  declarations  were  not  many  rods  away.  "You 
have  heard  of  the  extensive  robbery  of  Clapp  &  St. 
John's  store  over  at  the  village  ?"  he  now  asked. 

"  Yes,  I  heard  of  it  last  evening,"  Mr.  Johnson 
admitted. 

"  That  robbery  was  committed  by  Bagsley  and  his 
gang,  and  they  robbed  your  house  here,"  said  Budd, 
quietly. 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  Where  are  the  proofs  of 
your  statement  f  cried  Mr.  Johnson,  springing  ex- 
citedly to  his  feet,  "  Prove  that  to  me,  and  I  will 
withdraw  my  case  against  you  before  sunset !"  and 
he  walked  up  and  down  the  room  like  a  man  about 
to  receive  some  unpleasant  revelation, 

"  And  try  with  me  to  secure  Bagsley's  confession 
of  the  crime  he  committed,  and  for  which  my  father 
is  npw  in  prison  V  asked  Budd,  with  scarcely  a  less 
show  of  excitement. 

Mr.  Johnson  paused  in  front  of  the  lad  and  looked 
at  him  sharply  for  a  minute ;  but  the  lad  did  not 
flinch  under  his  gaze. 

"  Yes,"  he  then  said,  firmly  ;  "  I  promise  that,  also. 
Prove  to  me  those  two  things — that  the  robbery 
here  and  the  one  in  the  village  were  alike  committed 
by  a  gang  of  burglars  of  which  Bagsley  is  one,  and 
I  shall  believe  he  was  capable — yes,  guilty — of  the 
crime  your  father  stands  charged  with  to-day ;  for, 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  X93 

mark,  I  now  admit  that  there  are  reasons  to  believe 
that  he  did,  at  the  time  that  act  was  committed, 
know  the  combination  to  ray  safe,  and  thus  had  free 
access  to  my  money  and  my  check-book. 

"  I  now  confess  to  3'^ou  that  I  let  my  copy  of  the 
combination-number  lie  overnight  on  my  private 
office  desk,  and  though  it  was  lying  there  undis- 
turbed the  next  morning,  Bagsley  may  have  seen  it. 
This  is  why  I  have  distrusted  him. 

"  It  has  also  been  a  secret  that  has  accused  me 
every  time  I  thought  of  your  father  and  of  you.  I 
could  not  bear  to  think  I  had  sent  an  innocent  per- 
son to  prison,  and  a  part  of  my  severity  to  you  has 
grown  out  of  the  fact  that  if  you  were  proved  to  be 
of  a  thievish  disposition  it  would  seem  to  substanti- 
ate, in  a  measure  at  least,  your  father's  guilt.  It 
was  at  least  quieting  to  my  conscience  to  have  it 
prove  so,  and  for  this  I  doubtless  have  too  strongly 
Avorked  against  you. 

"  So  I  say,  only  prove  your  statements,  and  in- 
stead of  your  enemy  I  am  your  friend,  and  I  pledge 
you  that  I  will  try  to  undo  all  the  wrong  I  have 
done  vour  father  and  yourself,"  and  there  was  an 
earnestness  and  sincerity  in  his  tones  that  convinced 
Budd  that  he  meant  just  what  he  said. 

"  Mr.  Johnson,"  he  exclaimed,  "  get  your  hat  and 
come  with  me." 

"Where The  asked. 

"  Down  to  your  dock.  My  sloop,  the  Sea  Witch, 
is  there,  and  on  board  are  the  five  burglars,  their 
booty  from  the  store  and  from  your  house,  guarded 


194  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRlUMPff. 

by  Mr,  Avery,  the  constable,  and  my  partner,  Judd 
Floyd." 

Mr.  Johnson  looked  at  the  lad  for  an  instant  as 
though  he  doubted  his  sanity ;  then  he  led  the  way 
into  the  hall,  took  his  hat  and  a  stout  cane  from  the 
rack,  and  replied : 

"  I'm  ready." 

As  they  walked  down  to  the  wharf,  Budd  rapidly 
related  the  principal  events  connected  with  the  find- 
ing and  capture  of  the  burglars,  and  exhibited  his 
own  lacerated  wrists  as  proof  of  the  part  he  had 
borne  in  the  affair. 

"  I'm  just  astonished !  I'm  just  astonished !"  was 
Mr.  Johnson's  ejaculation  during  this  recital. 

They  reached  the  sloop,  and  Mr.  Johnson  looked 
with  his  own  eyes  upon  Bagsley  and  his  com- 
federates.  He  even  overhauled  and  identified  much 
among  their  traps  as  having  been  taken  from  his 
house. 

He  then  had  Mr.  Avery  and  the  lads  recount  to 
hivQt  again  the  whole  story  of  the  robbers'  capture. 
He  also  listened  respectfully  to  Mr.  Avery's  sug- 
gestion that  he  should  come  over  to  the  village,  and 
identifying  there  his  property,  swear  out  a  warrant 
against  the  men,  that  a  double  charge  might  be  sus- 
tained against  them. 

"I  will  do  it,"  he  replied.  "I  will  come  over 
immediately." 

He  spoke  to  Bagsley,  expressing  regret  at  having 
found  him  such  a  criminal,  but  received  only  curses 
in  return. 


BtlDD  BOYD'S  fRTtJMPE.  195 

At  lenffth  he  seemed  to  be  satisfied  with  his  own 
investiirations,  and  with  the  storv  he  had  heard. 

Laying  his  hand  on  Budd's  head  he  said,  solemnly : 

"  I  nev^er  meant  to  wrong  you  at  all,  my  dear  lad. 
I  never  meant  to  send  your  innocent  father,  for  I 
feel  instinctively  now  he  is  innocent,  to  prison.  I 
never  meant  to  hasten  your  invalid  mother's  death. 
Tell  me  you  forgive  me,  lad,  for  unless  you  do  I  can 
never  forgive  myself." 

Tears  streamed  down  Budd's  cheeks,  and  with 
them  went  much  of  the  anger  he  had  cherished 
toward  the  speaker. 

"  I  believe  3^ou,"  he  said  ;  "  only,  leave  no  stone 
unturned  to  set  my  father  free  and  to  put  him  right 
in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  and  I  freely  forgive  you  all 
the  suffering  and  unhappiness  you  have  unintention- 
ally caused  me." 

"  I  solemnly  promise  it ;  and  believe  me  there  is 
yet  happiness  for  both  father  and  son,"  said  Mr. 
Johnson  fervently ;  and  wiping  his  own  eyes,  he 
went  ashore,  to  complete  his  arrangements  for 
visiting  the  village. 

And  Budd,  with  a  joy  he  could  not  tell,  assisted 
his  chum  in  getting  the  sloop  ready  for  the  passage 
over  to  the  main  land,  where  their  arrival  with  their 
prisoners  was  to  create  a  profound  sensation,  and 
win  for  himself  and  partner  not  only  the  offered 
reward,  but  friends  and  fame. 


196  ^UDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH, 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE    CONFESSION. 

THE  burglars  are  captured !"  "  They  are  now 
in  the  lock-up !"  "  Avery,  the  constable,  and 
those  boys  of  Fox  Island,  brought  them  here  in  the 
Sea  Witch !"  "  They  say  every  dollar's  worth  of 
the  stolen  goods  is  recovered !"  "  The  examination 
is  at  two  o'clock  this  afternoon !" 

These  and  a  hundred  other  similar  exclamations 
ran  along  the  streets  of  the  village,  were  repeated 
in  shop  and  store  and  house,  discussed  on  the  street- 
corners,  and  carried  out  into  the  surrounding  coun- 
tr}^,  within  two  hours  after  the  sloop  had  tied  up  at 
the  public  wharf. 

And  yet  very  little  was  really  known,  for  on  ar- 
riving at  the  dock  Mr.  Avery  had  left  the  sloop  and 
prisoners  in  charge  of  the  two  lads  while  he  went 
quietly  up  the  street  and  sought  an  interview  with 
Clapp  &  St.  John,  the  jewelers.  The  immediate 
outcome  of  that  interview  was  that  two  closely-cov- 
ered carriages  were  driven  down  to  the  wharf,  and 
the  prisoners  were  hastily  put  into  these  and  driven 
rapidly  up  to  tlie  lock-up,  where  they  were  quickly 
incarcerated.  Almost  as  quickly,  a  huge  express 
wagon  went  down  to  the  dock,  and  bags,  gripsacks 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  197 

and  bundles,  containing  the  robbers'  booty  and 
traps,  were  transferred  from  the  sloop  to  the  wait- 
ing vehicle,  covered  with  a  large  sail-cloth,  and 
driven  off  to  Clapp  &  St.  John's  place  of  business, 
where  they  were  safely  stored.  Then  warrants 
were  sworn  out  in.  rapid  succession  by  Clapp  &  St. 
John,  by  Mr.  Johnson,  for  he  had  arrived  at  the  vil- 
lage almost  as  soon  as  the  Sea  Witch,  and  by  the 
lads  themselves,  against  the  criminals. 

Just  what  the  specific  charges  were,  and  how  the 
burglars  had  been  found,  was  not  generally  known  ; 
but  enough  had  been  seen  by  the  inhabitants  of  that 
staid  community  to  excite  their  curiosity,  and  to  set 
their  tongues  a-wagging  with  a  velocity  that  in  any 
other  bodily  member  would  have  been  absolutely 
dangerous. 

So  it  happened  that  when  the  hour  of  the  burg- 
lars' examination  came  a  crowd  had  gathered  in  the 
court-room  that  filled  it  to  its  utmost  capacit}",  and 
a  larger  crowd  was  in  the  court-yard  and  the  ad- 
jacent street.  Through  this  assembly  the  prisoners 
were  with  great  difficulty  taken,  and  their  trial 
began. 

But  if  the  eager  audience  were  expecting  any 
special  developments  they  were  doomed  to  disap- 
pointment, for  when  the  warrant  charging  the 
prisoners  with  feloniously  entering  and  robbing 
Clapp  &  St.  John's  store  was  read,  each  burglar  in 
his  turn  waived  psxamination,  and  was  bound  over, 
without  bonds,  to  the  higher  court. 

Something  of  a  surprise  swept  over  the  audience, 


198  BUBD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

however,  when  the  prisoners  were  again  arraigned 
and  a  second  Avarrant  was  read,  charging  them  with 
the  buglary  of  Mr,  Johnson's  house  on  Hope  Island, 
To  this,  as  in  the  first  instance,  the  accused  re- 
sponded by  waiving  an  examination,  and  were  again 
bound  over,  without  bonds,  to  the  next  term  of  the 
superior  court. 

Many  of  the  audience  evidently  thought  this 
ended  the  judicial  proceedings,  and  they  arose  to 
leave  the  room.  The  prisoners,  too,  apparently 
thought  the  same,  for  they  turned  toward  the 
officers  who  were  guarding  them  as  though  expect- 
ing to  be  immediately  taken  away. 

But  for  the  third  time  they  were  called  to  the 
bar,  and  a  deathlike  stillness  fell  upon  the  throng 
as  a  third  warrant  was  read,  charging  three  of  the 
prisoners  with  having  forcibly  entered,  with  the 
intent  of  robbing,  the  house  on  Fox  Island,  on 
Saturday  night,  June  17th,  Then  there  was  a 
hurried  consultation  between  the  leader  of  the  gang, 
who  had  given  the  name  of  Brill,  and  Bagsley  and 
the  third  man  of  the  party  who  was  accused  of  this 
crime,  and  who  answered  to  the  name  of  Hawkins. 

The  result  of  the  consultation  was  that  the  three 
men  for  the  third  time  waived  an  examination,  and 
for  the  third  time  were  bound  over  to  the  higher 
court. 

As  though  getting  impatient  with  the  whole  pro- 
ceedings, the  Justice  immediately  called  the  five 
men  to  the  bar  to  listen  to  the  reading  of  a  fourth 
warrant,   which    charged    the    entire    party   with 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  199 

"  having  taken  the  sloop  Sea  Witch,  with  force  of 
arms,  from  her  lawful  owner,  and  having,  with  great 
detriment  to  said  owner's  bodily  health  and  dis- 
advantage to  his  property  and  business,  run  off  with 
the  same."  With  hopeless  faces  and  sinking  hearts 
the  prisoners  no  longer  waived  an  examination  but 
pleaded  guilty  to  the  charge,  and,  as  on  the  three 
former  charges,  were  bound  over  to  the  superior 
court. 

While  the  audience  was  slowly  dispersing,  the 
papers  for  the  commitment  of  the  prisoners  to  the 
county  jail  were  filled  out  by  the  presiding  Justice, 
and  then,  under  a  strong  guard,  they  were  taken 
out  to  the  waiting  carriages  and  driven  rapidly  off 
toward  the  county-seat.  Before  sunset  this  had 
been  reached,  and  the  criminals  placed  in  separate 
cells  within  the  strong  walls  of  the  jail. 

Mr.  Johnson  and  Budd  had  both  agreed  that  it 
would  be  wiser  to  postpone  their  interview  with 
Bagsley  until  he  had  been  committed  to  jail  and 
knew  the  full  consequences  of  the  criminal  acts  with 
which  he  and  his  confederates  had  been  charged. 
They  hoped,  too,  that  his  solitary  confinement  might 
subdue  his  resentful  spirit  to  such  an  extent  that  he 
would  be  willing  to  listen  to  the  proposition  they 
had  to  make.  They  therefore  arranged  to  go  up  to 
Kingston  together  early  in  the  coming  week  for  the 
interview,  on  which  their  hopes  so  largely  centered. 
But  unknown  to  them  a  series  of  circumstances 
were  already  beginning  to  work  in  their  behalf. 

The  first  step  in  the  series  began  right  in  the 


200  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

court-room.  While  the  audience  was  dispersing  and 
the  Justice  was  filhng  out  the  commitment-papers 
the  prisoners  were  huddled  close  together  within 
the  court-room  railing.  The  officers  allowed  them 
to  converse  together,  thinking,  doubtless,  it  would 
be  the  last  time  they  could  do  so  for  a  number  of 
weeks,  if  not  for  a  number  of  years.  Brill,  the 
leader  of  the  gang,  changed  his  position  a  little  so 
as  to  bring  him  beside  Bagsley,  and  then  he  said,  in 
a  low  tone : 

"  It  is  a  hard  outlook  for  us,  Tom." 

"  Yes,"  his  companion  replied,  gloomily. 

"  It  can't  be  less  than  twenty  years  on  all  the 
charges,"  continued  Brill,  cautiously,  lest  his  words 
should  be  overheard  by  the  attending  officers. 

"  Do  you  think  so  V  asked  Bagsley. 

"  Yes,  unless  you  can  work  on  the  sympathies  of 
old  Johnson  and  that  boy  to  let  us  off  on  some  of 
the  charges,"  remarked  the  leader,  significantly. 

"What  do  you  mean?  They  are  more  bitter 
against  me  than  all  the  rest  of  you,"  responded 
Bagsley,  with  some  irritation  in  his  tones. 

"  Yes,  and  for  cause ;  but  suppose  you  remove 
that  cause  ?"  said  Brill,  pointedly. 

"And  get  myself  in  a  worse  scfape,"  snapped 
Bagsley. 

"Not  necessarily;  you  can  put  your  conditions, 
and  help  yourself  and  the  rest  of  us,"  was  the  hasty 
reply ;  for  the  papers  were  now  completed,  and  the 
officers  were  handcuffing  the  prisoners  together 
previous  to  leading  them  from  the  room; 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  201 

Enough  had  been  said,  however,  to  excite  in  Bags- 
ley's  heart  a  hope  he  would  not  be  slow  to  follow 
up. 

The  next  step  in  the  series  of  circumstances  work- 
ing favorably  for  the  fulfillment  of  Budd's  purpose 
occurred  the  next  day,  way  off  among  the  hills  of 
New  Hampshire.  Bagsley,  it  will  be  remembered, 
was  known,  and  however  it  may  have  been  with  his 
companions,  he  was  not  able  to  conceal  his  identity 
under  a  false  name.  The  newspapers,  therefore, 
recording  the  capture  of  the .  burglars,  gave  his 
name  in  full ;  and  one  of  those  papers  went  into  the 
boyhood  home  of  the  unfortunate  nian,  carrying 
dismay  to  his  aged  father  and  mother  still  abiding 
there.  The  name  was  that  of  their  only  son,  from 
whom  they  had  not  heard  in  long  months,  and  of 
whose  career  they  had  for  a  long  time  had  mis- 
giving. 

So  the  aged  father  sat  down,  and  with  trembling 
hand  wrote  to  the  keeper  of  the  jail  asking  for 
further  particulars  as  to  the  robbery,  and  a  complete 
identification,  if  possible,  of  the  prisoner  who  bore 
his  son's  name.  This  letter  in  due  time  reached  the 
jailer,  and  was  at  once  taken  to  Bagsley's  cell.  He 
bore  up  bravely  under  the  words  the  father  had 
penned,  but  when  he  read  at  the  bottom  of  the 
sheet  a  single  line  in  the  mother's  handwriting — 
that  line  reading  "If  you  are  our  Tommy,  let  us 
know  at  once,  and  we'll  come  to  you  and  spare  no 
expense  to  save  you" — he  broke  completely  down. 
The  memory  of  his  mother — of  her  love,  that  had 


202  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

ever  stood  ready  to  shield  him — had  touched  his 
heart.  He  was  not  as  hardened  as  he  himself  had 
thought,  and  a  desire  to  see  his  mother  once  more 
before  the  prison-walls  closed  upon  him  for  long 
years,  and  to  hear  from  her  own  lips  that  she  for- 
gave her  wayward  boy,  led  him  to  answer  his 
father's  letter. 

So  the  third  and  last  step  in  this  chain  of  circum- 
stances began  when  his  letter,  two  days  later, 
reached  the  little  mountain  village.  Closing  up 
their  little  home,  the  aged  father  and  mother  drew 
from  the  savings  bank  their  small  hoard  of  hard- 
earned  money  and  set  out  for  the  place  of  their 
son's  incarceration.  Everyone  they  met  seemed 
to  understand  that  some  heavy  affliction  had  fallen 
upon  the  gray-haired  couple,  and  with  kind  words 
and  willing  hands  they  were  helped  on  their  Av^ay, 
and  on  the  Monday  following  the  arrest  of  the 
criminals  they  reached  the  door  of  the  Kingston 
jail  and  asked  to  see  their  boy. 

Without  delay  they  were  taken  to  Bagsley's  cell, 
and  then  ensued  an  interview  too  sacred  but  for  the 
angels  of  heaven  to  have  witnessed.  In  humble 
contrition  the  penitent  man  disclosed  to  his  broken- 
hearted parents  the  whole  story  of  his  criminal  life, 
and  acknowledged  that  there  was  no  possible  escape 
from  long  years  of  confinement  unless  Mr.  Johnson 
and  Budd  Boyd  could  be  persuaded  to  withdraw 
their  charges  against  him.  So  the  next  morning 
the  father  started  off  to  find  the  lad  and  the  gentle- 
man who  held  so  much  of  his  son's  fate  in  their 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  203 

hands,  and  met  them  on  their  way  up  to  the  county- 
seat  to  hold  an  interview  with  his  son.  Under  these 
circumstances  it  was  not  hard  to  effect  an  asfree- 
ment,  and  Bagsley  consented  to  make  a  full  and 
complete  vindication  of  Henry  Boyd  if  Mr.  John- 
son's charge  and  the  two  charges  of  Boyd  &  Floyd 
against  him  and  his  associates  were  withdrawn. 
This  was  what  both  Mr.  Johnson  and  Budd  were 
willing  to  do,  and  the  confession  of  such  vital 
importance  to  two  persons  at  least — Budd  and  his 
father — was  duly  drawn  up  and  signed. 

It  stated  in  substance  that  Bagsley,  on  entering 
Mr.  Johnson's  employ,  had  been  detected  in  light 
pilfering  by  Mr.  Boyd,  but  upon  his  making  full 
restitution  and  promising  to  never  be  guilty  of  such 
an  act  again  Mr.  Boyd  had  consented  to  keep  the 
matter  from  Mr.  Johnson.  Instead  of  being  grate- 
ful to  Mr.  Boyd  for  thus  shielding  him  from  Mr. 
Johnson's  anger,  Bagsley  had  resolved  to  have  his 
revenofe  for  what  he  termed  Bovd's  unwarranted  in- 
terference  with  that  which  was  none  of  his  business. 
The  opportunity  came  when  Mr.  Johnson  carelessly 
left  the  combination-number  of  the  safe  upon  his 
private  desk.  Making  a  cop}''  of  it,  Bagsley  had 
taken  the  thousand  dollars  for  himself,  and  forged 
the  check  and  sent  it  with  the  accompanying  letter 
to  Mr.  Boj^d's  house  just  as  he  was  about  to  start  for 
the  South  with  his  invalid  wife.  He  had  opened 
and  destroyed  the  letter  of  thanks  that  Mr.  Boyd 
had  sent  Mr.  Johnson  upon  receiving  the  check,  and 
the  result  of  his  plans  had  been  exactly  what  he  had 


204  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

anticipated.  Mr.  Boyd  was  arrested,  tried  and  con- 
victed of  the  two  crimes,  forgery  and  theft,  while 
he  who  had  really  committed  the  acts  had  been  un- 
suspected. 

The  confession  went  on  to  state  that  Bagsley  had 
overheard  all  that  passed  between  Budd  and  Mr. 
Johnson  in  the  private  office,  and  believing  that  Budd 
was  working  to  prove  his  guilt  he  had  assaulted  him 
on  the  next  day.  Not  content  with  this,  he  had 
sought  for  the  lad  repeatedly  to  frighten  him  into 
silence,  but  at  length  learned  he  had  left  the  city. 

His  connection  with  the  criminals  had  come  about 
in  a  perfectly  natural  way  through  the  dissipated 
habits  he  had  formed.  When  in  a  g-amblino'-saloon 
one  night  he  had  run  in  with  Brill,  who,  finding  that 
Bagsley  had  plenty  of  money,  accused  him  of  having 
taken  the  thousand  dollars  for  which  Plenry  Boyd 
had  been  arrested.  Bagsley  at  first  denied  this,  but 
being  unable  to  account  for  the  money  in  any  other 
way,  he  finally  admitted  it. 

From  that  hour  Brill  had  a  hold  upon  him,  and 
led  him  from  one  crime  to  another  until  the  series 
of  crimes  for  which  he  and  his  companions  had  now 
been  arrested. 

There  was  a  particularity  of  detail  throughout  the 
whole  confession  that  evinced  its  truth,  and  Avith 
the  document  in  his  pocket  Mr,  Johnson  took  the 
first  train  for  Boston,  to  place  in  the  hands  of  the 
Governor  and  his  Council,  the  matter  of  Henry 
Boyd's  pardon  for  a  crime  he  had  never  committed ; 
while  Budd  drove  off  home,  to  immediately  write 


B  UDD  BO  YD'S  TRIUMPH.  205 

and  send  to  his  father  a  letter  giving  a  full  account 
of  the  events  that  had  transpired  in  the  last  few 
da3's,  and  setting  forth  the  prospect  of  his — the 
father's — release,  as  soon  as  the  legal  steps  necessary 
for  it  could  be  complied  with. 

As  we  shall  now  lose  sight  of  Bagsley  in  our  story, 
it  may  be  stated  here  that  he  and  his  companions  in 
crime  were  duly  arraigned  for  the  burglary  of  Clapp 
&  St.  John's  jewelry  store,  at  the  November  term  of 
the  superior  court,  and  knowing  that  the  evidence 
of  their  guilt  was  absolute,  they  thought  it  wiser  to 
plead  guilty  and  throw  themselves  upon  the  mercy 
of  the  Court.  The  other  charges  were  not  brought 
up  against  them,  but  they  were  known,  and  without 
doubt  had  much  to  do  with  the  heavy  sentence  that 
was  pronounced  upon  them,  namely — ten  years  each 
at  hard  labor  in  the  State  Penitentiary. 

The  reward  offered  for  their  arrest  and  conviction 
was  in  due  time  paid  over  to  Mr.  Avery  and  the  two 
lads.  Mr.  Avery,  finding  the  part  he  had  played  in 
the  affair  had  obtained  for  him  a  popularity  that 
was  destined  to  give  him  the  office  of  County  Sheriff 
at  the  next  election,  magnanimously  insisted  that 
the  hundred  dollars  paid  the  captain  of  the  tug 
should  come  out  of  his  portion  of  the  reward  alone ; 
so  that  the  young  fii-m  received  an  even  thousand 
dollars  as  their  compensation  for  the  trying  ex- 
periences they  had  undergone  in  discovering  and 
bringing  to  justice  the  gang  of  criminals. 

But  a  full  month  before  this  money  was  paid 
over,  an  event  happened  that  to  Budd  at  least  far 


iOG  iSTiDD  BOTD'S  TRIUMPH. 

transcended  any  amount  of  pecuniary  gain.  It  was 
tlie  reception,  through  the  post-office,  of  a  large 
official  document  from  the  Governor  of  Massachu- 
setts, announcing  the  full  pardon  and  ordering  the 
immediate  release  of  Henry  Boyd.  Along  with  it 
came  a  personal  note  from  the  Governor  pleasantly 
suggesting  that  the  son,  who  had  so  thoroughly 
believed  in  and  worked  for  the  establishment  of  the 
father's  innocence,  should  be  the  one  to  first  carry 
the  good  news  to  the  pardoned  man. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIVMPB-  ^7 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

FATHER  AND  SON. 

THE  WEEKS  that  had  elapsed  between  the 
confession  of  Bagsley  and  the  reception  of  the 
important  document  from  the  Governor  of  Massa- 
chusetts had  hung  heavily  on  Budd's  hands.  He 
chafed  under  the  legal  technicalities  that  seemed  to 
be  constantly  arising  to  delay  a  result  that  he  knew 
was  inevitable,  and  which  he  thought  ought  to 
come  immediately.  Still  his  hope  sustained  him, 
and  with  his  partner  he  attended  strictly  to  the 
work  in  which  they  were  engaged. 

Business,  too,  accumulated  upon  their  hands.  The 
notoriety  they  had  achieved  in  capturing  the  burg- 
lars had  made  it  quite  the  thing  to  patronize  the 
young  firm,  and  from  every  side  there  poured  into 
them  an-  increase  of  trade.  The  summer  hotels 
along  the  bay  found  it  quite  to  their  interest  to 
announce  that  the  fish  upon  their  tables  came 
directly  from  the  pounds  of  Boyd  &  Floyd.  Sailing 
and  fishing-parties  sought  eagerly  for  the  services 
of  the  lads  and  their  sloop  Sea  Witch,  that  had 
such  a  romantic  history.  So  night  and  day  the 
j'oung  firm  were  busy,  and  their  bank  account 
grew  apace. 


?0S  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPS. 

But  there  was  another  Avork  during  these  weeks 
that  claimed  Budd's  attention.  Believino^  that  his 
father  woukl  prefer  to  come  back  to  the  island  with 
him,  and  make  a  temporary  home  there  until  their 
plans  for  the  future  could  be  arranged,  he  spent 
all  his  spare  moments  in  making  his  island  home 
more  attractive. 

Mr.  Johnson  had  on  the  day  he  had  accompanied 
the  lad  up  to  the  county  jail  returned  to  him  the 
live  hundred  dollars  he  had  paid  that  gentleman  the 
previous  March,  and,  along  Avith  that  sum,  its  ac- 
cumulated interest.  A  portion  of  this  money  Budd 
now  spent  for  carpets  and  furniture. 

The  bedroom  down-stairs,  and  which  he  and  Judd 
had  always  occupied,  was  refurnished  expressly  for 
Mr.  Boyd.  The  furniture  which  had  been  in  there 
was  carried  upstairs,  where  a  room  was  fixed  for 
the  lads.  Another  room  upstairs  was  also  furnished 
with  a  bedroom  set,  and  it  was  Budd  himself  who 
gave  a  reason  for  doing  it : 

"  It  is  for  your  father.  Judd,  when  he  comes  from 
the  State  Farm.  We'l.  oring  him  over  here,  where 
he'll  be  away  from  temptation,  and  try  and  make  a 
man  of  him  ;"  and  Judd  thanked  his  chum  for  the 
suggestion  with  glistening  eyes. 

Other  arrangements  were  also  made  about  the 
house  and  grounds,  in  which  Budd  was  ably  seconded 
by  his  partner,  and  on  the  October  morning  that 
the  Governor's  pardon  came  everything  was  in 
readiness  for  Mr.  Boyd's  coming. 

That  afternoon's  train  carried  Budd  to  Boston. 


BUD  J)  SOTD'S  TRltTMPH.  209 

He  arrived  in  the  city  too  late  to  visit  the  prison 
that  day,  but  having  expected  this,  he  was  in  no 
sense  disappointed.  In  fact  he  had  come  to  the 
city  at  this  time  purposely,  for  he  had  a  few  items 
of  business  to  transact  before  he  visited  his  father, 
and  they  could  be  attended  to  while  he  waited  for 
the  coming  morning,  which  at  the  earliest  possible 
hour  he  had  determined  should  see  his  fathers  lib- 
eration. These  items  of  business  are  of  interest  to 
us,  and  so  we  will  follow  him  as  he  attends  to 
them. 

Hastening  through  to  Washington  Street  with  the 
pace  of  one  who  knew  just  where  he  was  going,  he 
hurried  down  that  street  until  he  reached  a  large 
tailoring  establishment.  Entering  this,  he  asked 
for  the  proprietor,  and  was  immediately  shown  to 
the  private  office.  Introducing  himself  with  the 
air  of  one  who  was  expected,  he  asked  : 

"You  have,  of  course,  received  and  filled  my 
order  ?" 

'"Yes  sir,"  said  the  gentleman,  pleasantly,  and 
pointing  to  a  handsome  valise  and  a  large  package 
at  one  side  of  the  office.  "  In  that  valise  you  will 
find  shirts,  collars,  underwear,  stockings,  neckties, 
and  a  medium  suit  of  clothing.  In  the  package  is  a 
handsome  overcoat,  a  fine  Prince  Albert  suit,  hat, 
shoes — in  fact  a  complete  outfit,  and  good  enough 
for  an}'^  man.  They  will  be  sent  to  your  hotel  at 
the  appointed  hour  to-morrow,  and  we  guarantee 
the  fit,  if  your  measures  were  correct." 

Budd  thanked  him,  and  then  asked : 


210  BtiDD  BOYD' 8  TRtUMPlt. 

"Was  the  check  I  forwarded  with  the  order  suf- 
ficiently  large  in  amount  to  pay  for  everything  V 

"  Yes,  and  a  Httle  to  spare.  Here  is  the  receipted 
bill  and  change  that  the  cashier  sent  here  in  antici- 
pation of  your  coming.  I  had  the  bundles  brought 
here  also,  in  case  you  should  care  to  examine  them." 

"No,  sir;  I  rely  upon  your  judgment,"  replied 
the  lad.  "  You  may  send  the  packages  to  me  to- 
night, however,  at  the  United  States  Hotel ;"  and 
he  took  his  leave. 

He  now  walked  down  to  the  hotel  he  had  named, 
and  registering  his  name,  was  shown  to  a  room. 

Before  the  supper-hour  the  packages  had  arrived 
from  the  tailoring  establishment,  and  were  at  his  re- 
quest sent  up  to  his  room.  He  now  examined  their 
contents,  and  his  face  glowed  with  satisfaction  as  he 
saw  how  well  his  orders  had  been  executed. 

"  Father  need  not  be  ashamed  to  call  on  the  Gov- 
ernor himself  with  those  clothes  on,"  he  said  softly 
to  himself,  not  knowing  they  would  be  put  to  that 
use. 

When  his  supper  was  eaten  he  left  the  hotel  and 
Avalked  briskly  off  toward  the  business  quarter  of  the 
city  again,  and  reaching  the  office  of  a  well-known 
daily  paper,  he  entered  and  asked  for  the  managing 
editor.  On  the  assurance  that  his  business  was  im- 
portant he  was  shown  up  to  that  worthy's  sanctum. 

With  no  hesitation  he  told  who  he  was,  and  the 
object  of  his  visit  to  Boston. 

"  My  wish,"  he  continued,  "  is  to  have  your  paper 
to-morrow  kindly  notice  my  father's  return  to  public 


BUDD  BOTD'S  TRIUMPH.  211 

life ;  and  if  you  believe  in  his  innocence,  do  your  part 
toward  the  vindication  of  his  good  name.  I  ask  that 
you  will  give  as  conspicuous  a  place  in  your  paper  to 
his  release  as  you  did  to  his  trial  and  conviction,  and 
am  willing  to  pay  you  for  the  space." 

The  editor  laughed  a  little. 

"  You  show  your  appreciation  of  the  value  of  the 
press  as  a  molder  of  public  sentiment,"  he  then  said. 
"  But,  my  dear  bo}^,  Mr.  Johnson  has  preceded  you 
in  this  request.  The  first  page  of  every  daily  in  this 
c\i\\  to-morrow,  will  notice  your  father's  release,  and 
every  editorial  page  will  comment  upon  and  welcome 
his  return  to  public  life. 

"Why  shouldn't  we?"  he  added,  bluntly.  "Mr. 
Johnson  has  paid  handsomely  for  it.  He  certainly 
is  leaving  no  stone  unturned  to  restore  your  father 
to  his  old  standing  in  the  community.  From  the 
hour  of  Bagsley's  confession,  for  he  telegraphed  the 
fact  here  at  once,  he  has  seen  to  it  that  every  step 
toward  your  father's  release  has  been  duly  noticed 
by  the  public  press." 

Then  the  man,  with  a  few  inquiries  as  to  Mr. 
Boyd's  plans  after  his  release,  dismissed  his  young 
visitor. 

"  I  have  no  more  oflBces  to  visit,  then,"  Budd  re- 
marked on  reaching  the  street,  "thanks  to  Mr. 
Johnson.  I'll  buy  a  copy  of  every  paper  to-morrow, 
however,  so  father  can  see  just  what  they  do  say." 

He  now  turned  his  steps  toward  the  quarter  of  the 
city  where  he  had  formerly  lived,  and  walked  slowly 
over  the  familiar  ground.     Then  he  went  around  by 


212  BTTDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

the  school  he  had  last  attended,  and  gazed  up  at  the 
windows  of  the  room  where  he  used  to  sit.  His 
thoughts  now  turned  toward  his  former  acquaint- 
ances and  friends,  and  he  felt  a  little  pardonable  ex- 
ultation as  he  remembered  how,  at  every  breakfast- 
table  of  the  city,  on  the  following  morning,  his 
father's  innocence  would  be  discussed. 

"  I  am  not  sure,"  he  admitted  to  himself,  as  he 
walked  back  toward  his  hotel,  "  but  that  I  should  be 
glad  to  come  back  here  and  take  up  the  old  life — 
if,"  he  added,  after  a  brief  pause,  "  Judd  could  only 
come  Avith  me." 

And  though  he  did  not  know  it  then,  that,  very 
thing  was  to  eventually  happen. 

Not  far  from  half-past  eight  o'clock  the  next 
morning  Budd  put  his  packages  into  a  hack,  and  en- 
tering it,  gave  the  order  to  the  driver : 

"  Go  over  to  the  State  Prison  in  Charlestown." 

"With  a  peculiar  look  at  his  young  passenger  the 
driver  mounted  his  box  and  drove  away.  A  half- 
hour  or  so  later  he  stopped  at  the  massive  entrance 
of  the  institution  named,  and  Budd  alighted.  Re- 
questing the  ha.ckman  to  remain  until  his  return,  he 
took  up  his  bundles  and  went  into  the  warden's 
office. 

Upon  showing  the  official  document  of  the 
Governor  to  the  clerk  in  waiting  he  politely  re- 
quested Budd  to  take  a  seat  while  he  went  to  call 
his  superior  officer.  The  warden  soon  entered,  and 
telling  Budd  he  had  expected  him,  he  led  the  way 
into  the  prison  building.     Down  one  corridor  and 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  213 

Into  another  they  went,  the  heart  of  the  lad  beating 
loudly  as  he  drew  nearer  to  the  father  he  had  not 
seen  for  months.  Suddenly  the  warden  stopped 
before  a  cell  and  unlocked  the  door. 

"You  may  enter  and  break  the  news  to  your 
father,"  he  said  to  Budd  in  a  low  voice.  "A  little 
later  I  will  send  a  man  for  you,  and  you  and  your 
father  can  come  down  to  the  office,  where  there  is  a 
dressing-room  which  he  can  use  to  get  ready  for  his 
departure." 

With  these  words  he  motioned  the  lad  to  enter 
the  cell ;  then  he  gently  closed  the  door,  without 
locking  it,  and  hurried  away,  leaving  father  and  son 
alone.     Surely  nothing  ever  became  him  better. 

As  Budd  entered  the  cell,  his  father  arose  from 
the  stool  on  which  he  was  sitting,  and  with  a  glad 
cry  came  toward  him.  The  next  instant  they  were 
in  each  other's  arms,  and  sobbing  on  each  other's 
shoulders.  But  the  tears  they  shed  were  tears  of  joy, 
for  Mr.  Boyd  had  rightly  conjectured  that  bis  son's 
presence  meant  his  immediate  release,  and  though 
not  entirely  unexpected,  yet  it  still  came  with  suffi- 
cient suddenness  to  move  him  to  tears. 

Soon  they  both  grew  calmer,  and  then  Budd  pro- 
duced the  Governor's  pardon,  and  related  to  his 
father  the  story  of  its  coming,  and  the  Governor's 
suggestion  that  had  accompanied  it.  He  then  pro- 
duced a  half-dozen  morning  papers,  and  pointed  out 
to  his  father  the  flaming  announcements  of  his 
release,  and  the  editorial  notes  of  welcome  that 
signaled  his  return  to  public  life, 


214  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

'  "  You  need  not  be  ashamed  to  go  anywhere  in  the 
city, father,"  the  lad  exclaimed, triumphantly;  "and 
I  have  brought  you  clothing  fit  for  a  king.  A  home 
is  ready  for  you,  too,  where  you  can  rest  awhile  and 
plan  for  the  future.  There  is  the  man's  step  out- 
side, now,  who  has  been  sent  up  for  us;  so  come." 

Leaning  proudly  on  the  arm  of  his  boy,  who  had 
accomplished  so  much,  Mr.  Boyd  walked  down  to 
the  office,  where  the  warden  kindly  greeted  him, 
and  the  few  details  essential  to  his  release  were 
attended  to.  Then  he  was  shown  into  an  adjacent 
dressing-room  where  the  packages  Budd  had  brought 
had  already  been  carried,  and  from  this  he  emerged 
a  half-hour  later  looking,  as  the  happy  boy  declared, 
"Just  like  his  own  father." 

Budd  now  took  up  the  valise  that  contained  Mr. 
Boyd's  spare  clothing,  and  telling  his  father  the 
carriage  was  in  waiting,  started  for  the  door. 

"One  moment,  Mr,  Boyd,"  the  warden  said. 
"Here  is  a  note  the  Governor  has  sent  here  for 
youJ" 

In  surprise,  Mr.  Boyd  took  the  note  and  hastily 
opened  it.     There  was  but  a  brief  line. 

Executive  Mansion,  October  5th. 
Mr.  Henry  Boyd  and  Son: — You  are   both  re- 
quested to  dine  with  me  at  two  o'clock  this  after- 
noon, where  you  will  meet  some  old  and  some  new 
friends.  The  Goveenor. 

It  was  with  emotions  no  words  can  express  that 
both  father  and  son  entered  their  carriage  and  were 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH,  215 

driven  off  to  their  hotdl.  Kever  had  the  sun  shone 
so  brightly ;  never  had  the  autumn  foliage  looked 
half  so  beautiful ;  never  had  the  old,  familiar  streets 
and  buildings  seemed  so  dear.  In  their  very  happi- 
ness they  were  silent  until  nearly  to  their  destina- 
tion ;  then  Mr.  Boyd  broke  the  silence  by  saying, 
tremulously : 

"Oh,  Budd!  if  your  mother  only  knew  of  my 
vindication !  If  she  had  only  lived  to  see  this 
day!" 

"  She  does  know  of  it,"  replied  Budd,  simply. 

"I  believe  it;  and,  like  myself,  she  is  proud  of 
her  boy;"  and  Mr.  Boyd  looked  lovingly  down 
into  the  face  of  his  son. 

The  dinner  at  the  Executive  mansion  was  a  simple 
affair,  the  Governor  seeming  to  understand  Mr. 
Boj'^d's  feelings  in  this  respect.  There  were  there 
the  members  of  the  Executive  Council ;  the  Judge 
who  had  presided  at  Mr.  Boyd's  trial ;  Mr.  John- 
son ;  Mr.  Boyd's  lawyer,  and  a  half-dozen  prominent 
business  men  that  Mr.  Boyd  had  been  accustomed 
to  meet  in  other  days.  They  all  congratulated  him 
warmly  upon  his  established  innocence,  and  assured 
him  of  their  friendship  and  help  when  he  had 
decided  upon  his  future  business  plans. 

He  thanked  them  all  for  their  expressions  of 
kindness,  but  added,  with  evident  pride : 

"  My  son  has  a  home  for  me,  and  there  I  wiU  go 
for  the  present." 

At  four  O'clock  he  and  Budd  left  the  city;  at 
five  they  were  in  Providence,  and  at  six  they  were 


216  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

at  their  village  depot,  where  they  were  met  by 
Judd.  Ten  minutes  later  they  were  on  the  Sea 
Witch,  bound  for  the  island. 

As  they  reached  their  own  wharf  Mr.  Boyd 
stepped  out  of  the  boat  and  looked  around  him. 
Then  he  said  tenderly,  almost  reverently: 

"  This  is  your  home,  Budd,  and  my  home,  now — 
inexpressibly  dear,  because  of  what  my  boy  has 
here  proved  himself  to  be." 

Later  on,  and  when  reclining  in  an  easy-chair 
beside  the  sitting-room  fire,  he  heard  in  detail  the 
experiences  through  which  the  lads  had  passed. 
The  young  partners  sat  where  he  could  look  them 
both  full  in  the  face.  Possibly  their  strong  likeness 
to  each  other  may  have  suggested  the  question,  for 
he  abruptly  asked : 

"  Judd,  what  is  your  father's  name  ?" 

"Silas  Torr  Floyd,"  answered  the  wondering 
boy. 

"And  your  mother's  ?" 

"  Helen  Budd,  before  she  was  married,"  replied 
Judd.  "  That  is  one  reason  why  I  thought  Budd's 
name  so  funny  when  I  first  heard  it." 

"  You  are,  then,  cousins,"  was  Mr.  Boyd's  aston- 
ishing declaration. 

"  How  do  you  make  that  out,  sir  ?"  the  lads  ex- 
claimed in  one  breath. 

"  My  wife  and  your  mother,  Judd,  were  sisters," 
explained  Mr.  Boyd.  "  They  were  married  about 
the  same  time,  and  used  to  joke  each  other  about 
one  having  married  a  Boyd  and  the  other  a  Floyd. 


BUDD  BOTDS  TRIUMPH.  2Vt 

When  Budd  was  born  his  mother  gave  him  her  sur- 
name for  his  Christian  name;  and  when,  a  few 
weeks  later,  Judd  was  born,  his  mother  laughingly 
gave  him  the  Christian  name  he  bears,  saying  she 
would  make  it  as  near  like  Budd's  as  possible. 

"  We  soon  separated,  I  moving  into  Boston,  and 
Judd's  father  going  West.  For  a  time  we  kept  up  a 
correspondence,  but  it  grew  less  and  less  frequent, 
and  finally  entirely  ceased.  But  your  parents  must 
have  returned  East,  Judd,  and  I  cannot  understand 
why  they  did  not  communicate  with  me,  unless  your 
mother's  pride  was  such  that  she  did  not  wish  us  to 
know  her  husband  had  become  a  drunkard." 

"  I  think  that  is  it,"  said  Judd,  thoughtfully ;  "  for 
whenever  I  asked  about  her  relatives,  she  never 
would  tell  me  anything  about  them." 

The  newly-discovered  relationship  was  discussed 
for  a  time,  and  facts  and  dates  were  brought  for- 
ward to  substantiate  it.  Then  Judd  said,  with 
much  the  same  grimace  he  had  used  months  before : 

"  I  told  you  some  time  ago,  Budd,  that  we  were 
second-rate  twins,  and  now  it  has  turned  out  that 
we  are  first-rate  cousins  1" 


* 


> 


218  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

AN   EXCITING   ADVENTURE. 

GOOD  morning,  father !  Would  you  like  to  go 
with  us  to  the  fish-traps,  or  will  you  remain 
here  and  rest  ?" 

It  was  the  morning  after  Mr.  Boyd's  arrival  at 
the  island,  and  as  yet  barely  six  o'clock..  Budd  had 
come  to  the  door  of  his  father's  room,  and  finding 
him  awake  had  thus  accosted  him. 

Mr.  Boyd  looked  up  at  his  boy  with  a  cheerful 
smile. 

"  Good  morning,  Budd !"  he  responded.  "  You 
are  around  early  here,  aren't  you  ?  Well,  I  like  to 
see  promptness  and  industry  in  any  one ;  and  as  an 
encouragement,  if  not  an  example,  to  you  and  Judd, 
I'll  go  right  along  with  you.  How  soon  shall  I  be 
■  ready  ?" 

"  Breakfast  will  be  on  the  table  in  ten  minutes, 
and  in  course  of  a  half-hour  we  must  be  off,"  an- 
swered Budd.  "Is  there  anything  I  can  do  for 
you,  father  ?" 

There  was  manifest  affection  in  the  lad's  tones  as 
he  asked  this  question,  and  his  face  beamed  with  an 
irrepressible  joy.     The  great  purpose  of  his  heart 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  319 

had  been  accomplished ;  his  father  was  not  only  at 
liberty,  but  with  hira,  and  he  had  nothing  more  to 
ask. 

"No,  my  son,"  replied  Mr.  Boyd,  with  no  less 
show  of  affection  ;  "  I'll  be  with  you  presently." 

Budd  went  back  to  the  kitchen  and  assisted  Judd 
in  the  few  preparations  necessary  to  complete  the 
breakfast,  and  when  Mr.  Boyd  joined  the  lads  a  few 
minutes  later  all  was  in  readiness  for  them  to  sit 
down  to  the  table ;  and  within  the  prescribed  half- 
hour  the  meal  had  been  dispatched  and  all  were  on 
board  the  Sea  Witch. 

Her  moorings  were  speedily  cast  off,  and  with  a 
strong;  southeast  wind  to  contend  ao^ainst  she  tacked 
down  the  bay.  The  first  run  carried  her  close 
under  the  west  shore  of  the  bay,  and  just  before  she 
was  put  about  for  her  second  tack,  Budd,  who  was 
forward,  noticed  a  large  flat-boat  coming  out  from  a 
small  cove  right  ahead  of  them.  A  single  glance 
showed  him  that  the  one  sail  of  the  boat  was  furled, 
and  that  his  old  employer,  Mr.  Benton,  was  pulling 
her  along  against  the  stiff  breeze  with  an  enormous 
pair  of  sweeps. 

"  Where  did  Mr.  Benton  get  that  boat,  and  what 
is  he  doing  with  her,  Judd  ?"  he  asked. 

"All  I  know  about  it,"  rephed  Judd,  eying  the 
clumsy  craft,  "  is  that  he  had  her  down  on  Plum 
Beach,  yesterday,  loading  her  with  sand.  Where 
he  got  her  I  can't  say.  Perhaps  he  knocked  her  to- 
gether himself ;  I  should  judge  so,  from  her  build. 
She  woji't  stjind  a  rough  sea  long,  though ;  and  un- 


320  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

less  he  hurries  around  with  his  load  to-day,  she'll  go 
down  under  him,  I'm  thinking." 

"Are  we  going  to  have  a  storm  right  away?" 
asked  Mr.  Boyd,  looking  up  at  the  mackerel-sky. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  Judd,  promptly.  When  the 
wind  blows  as  fresh  as  this  from  the  southeast,  it 
won't  take  over  six  hours  to  bring  a  regular  gale. 
That's  one  reason  we  have  hurried  off  to  the  traps 
so  early  this  morning.  I'll  agree  to  show  you  all 
the  rough  weather  you'll  care  to  see  before  we  get 
back  to  the  island ;"  and  the  lad  spoke  with  a  posi- 
tiveness  that  gave  a  convincing  force  to  all  his 
words. 

On  account  of  the  strong  head-wind  the  lads  had 
thought  it  best  to  first  work  dow^n  along  the  west  j 
shore  and  visit  the  two  traps  on  that  side  of  the  bay, 
and  then,  with  the  breeze  on  their  starboard,  run 
over  to  their  trap  under  Canonicut  Island.  This 
would  give  them,  also,  a  stern-breeze  for  their  return 
home. 

In  carrying  out  this  plan  they  ran  on  their  third 
tack  close  enough  to  Mr.  Benton  to  hail  him. 

"Good-morning,  Mr.  Benton,"  Budd  cried  out. 
"  Shall  we  take  you  in  tow  and  leave  you  at  the 
beach  ?" 

He  made  the  offer,  for  he  had  noticed  that  the  old 
man  was  making  but  slow  progress  against  the  head- 
wind. A  surly  refusal  of  the  offered  help  was,  how- 
ever, the  only  answer  he  received.  It  was  quite  evi- 
dent that  Mr.  Benton,  while  he  had  steadily  let  the 
young  partners  alone  since  his  last  encounter  with 


BXTDD  SOTD'S  TRItlMPS.  g^l 

them,  had  never  forgiven  them  for  the  advantage 
they  had  then  gained. 

A  few  minutes  after  passing  Mr.  Benton  the  first 
fish-trap  was  reached,  and  the  lads  soon  emptied  it 
of  its  "  catch  "  with  all  the  quickness  and  dexterity 
for  which  they  were  noted.  Mr.  Boj'd  assisted  them 
somewhat,  but  laughingl}'^  declared  that  "  he  would 
have  to  serve  a  regular  apprenticeship  at  the  busi- 
ness before  he  could  hope  to  compete  with  them." 

"  Oh !  you  would  learn  how  to  do  it  sooner  than 
you  think,"  remarked  Budd,  giving  the  huge  net  a 
vigorous  pull  that  sent  it  slowl}^  back  to  its  place. 
"  I  was  as  great  a  novice  at  the  work  as  you  are 
when  Judd  took  me  into  partnership ;  but  I  soon 
caught  the  knack,  and  rather  like  the  business  now." 

"  lie  proved  an  apt  scholar,  and  has  outstripped 
his  teacher,"  put  in  Judd,  laughingly.  "  I  sometimes 
find  it  hard  work  to  keep  up  my  end  with  him.  But 
we  are  ready  now,  I  believe,  to  work  down  to  the 
lower  trap." 

The  anchor  of  the  sloop  was  raised,  and  her  sails 
adjusted  for  the  brief  run  around  Plum  Beach  Point 
to  the  other  fish-pound.  As  she  passed  along  the 
sandy  shore,  on  which  the  huge  breakers  were  roll- 
ing with  a  constantly  increasing  power,  the  boys  no- 
ticed that  Mr.  Benton  had  already  beached  his  boat, 
and  had  commenced  to  load  her  with  sand. 

"  He  ought  to  know  better  than  to  put  a  flat-bot- 
tomed boat  on  there  with  the  wind  from  this  quar- 
ter," observed  Judd,  sagely.  "  If  the  wind  increases, 
as  I  think  it  will,  she'll  pound  to  pieces  there  in  no 


222  BtJDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

time ;  and  even  if  he's  lucky  enough  to  get  her  off 
before  that  happens,  he  can't  get  up  into  his  cove 
with  her  to-day." 

"  "Why  not  V  asked  Mr.  Boyd,  with  some  show  of 
interest. 

"Because  she  has  no  keel  or  center-board,  and 
can't  hold  herself  for  a  moment  against  the  wind. 
Just  as  sure  as  he  clears  the  point  with  her  the  wind 
will  drive  her  straight  ahead  for  our  island,  or  by  the 
west  end  of  it,  on  to  the  '  The  Hummocks.'  See  if 
it  don't  turn  out  as  I  tell  you." 

"  You  are  right,"  Budd  quietly  assented — "  unless, 
as  you  suggested,  before  she  goes  down  under  him. 
That  sand  is  heavy,  and  if  he  only  puts  on  a  half-load, 
it  will  sink  her  well  down  into  the  water.  A  rough^ 
sea  may  flood  her,  and  between  the  water  and  the 
sand  she  will  surely  sink.  Possibly  he  will  think  of 
this,  and  be  wise  enough  to  leave  her  where  she  isr 
at  the  risk  of  her  being  stove  up." 

"  I  don't  think  so,"  went  on  Judd,  quickly.  "  The 
first  board  that  starts  off  of  her  will  make  him  think 
she  is  going  ^to  pieces  right  there,  and  to  save  her  he 
will  try  to  get  her  off  shore,  and  that  means  no 
chance  for  the  boat,  and  only  half  a  chance  for  him- 
self." 

"  Cannot  you  run  in  near  enough  to  warn  him  of 
his  danger?"  asked  Mr.  Boyd,  "Perhaps,  if  he 
came  right  off  the  beach  now,  and  before  the  gale 
comes  on,  he  could  save  himself  and  the  boat,  too." 

"Little  will  he  care  for  our  warning,"  replied 
Judd  ;  "  but  then  we  can  give  it,  all  the  same.     Go 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  233 

forward,  Budd,  and  shout  to  him  ;"  and  he  put  up 
the  helm  and  ran  the  sloop  in  as  near  the  beach  as 
he  felt  it  was  safe  to  go. 

"  Mr.  Benton,"  shouted  Budd,  "your  boat  will  soon 
pound  to  pieces  there ;  and  if  you  delay  long  about 
putting  off  shore  there  will  be  great  risk  about  your 
getting  into  3'our  cove.  The  wind  is  increasing 
every  minute,  and  will  soon  blow  a  gale." 

The  old  man  turned  slowly  around  and  looked  off 
toward  the  sloop. 

" J'U  'tend  to  my  bizness,  if  ye'll  'tend  to  your'n," 
he  curtly  replied. 

"  What  did  I  tell  you  ?"  said  Judd,  as  the  sloop 
slowly  swung  off  toward  the  fish-pound,  now   no 

Ct  distance  away.  "  He'll  stay  there  for  his  load, 
tever  happens.  He  don't  propose  to  have  either 
Budd  or  me  give  him  advice." 

Before  Mr.  Boyd  could  make  any  reply  there  came 
a  sharp  cry  from  Budd,  who  was  still  on  the  bow  of 
the  sloop. 

"  Quick,  Judd,  or  our  trap  will  be  destroyed  I 
There  is  a  porpoise  in  it,  and  he  has  already  noticed 
our  approach." 

"We  can't  save  the  net!"  exclaimed  Judd,  spring- 
ing to  his  feet,  and  looking  at  the  huge  cetacean 
that  had  raised  his  head  above  the  surface  of  the 
water,  and  within  the  inclosure  of  the  seine.  "He 
will  go  through  it  like  a  shot !  Our  only  hope  is  to 
save  the  fish !" 

"  Perhaps  I  can  get  him,"  cried  Budd,  running  aft 
and  drawing  the  yawl  close  up  to  the  sloop. 


^24  nUDD  BOYD'S  TJlIUMPJl 

The  next  moment  he  had  leaped  into  it,  and  casting 
off  the  painter,  he  sculled  rapidly  toward  the  pound. 

As  he  reached  the  upper  side  of  the  trap,  the  por- 
poise made  a  quick  lunge  against  the  opposite  side ; 
but  the  stout  netting  and  firmly-driven  stakes  with- 
stood its  effort  to  break  through.  Seeing  his  oppor- 
tunity, Budd  pulled  in  his  oar  and  caught  up  an  old 
harpoon  that  lay  in  the  bottom  of  the  yawl,  and 
Avhich  was  kept  there  to  be  used  upon  the  sharks 
that  frequently  entered  the  traps. 

It  was  but  the  work  of  a  moment  to  fasten  the 
weapon  to  the  bow-line  of  the  yawl,  and  then  Budd 
threw  it  with  all  his  strength  at  the  struggling  mon- 
ster. The  sharp  point  struck  the  porpoise  near  the 
center  of  its  back,  and  penetrated  through  the  thick 
hide  to  the  depth  of  several  inches. 

"Hurrah!  I've  got  him!"  shouted  Budd,  seizing 
hold  of  the  bow-line  and  beginning  to  haul  it  in. 

Scarcely  w^ere  the  words  out  of  his  mouth  when 
the  rope  was  jerked  from  his  hand  wnth  a  force  that 
sent  him  over  backward  in  the  yawl.  Then  he 
heard  a  crash,  and  a  moment  after  felt  the  boat  mov- 
ing through  the  water  a  terrific  rate  of  speed. 

Crawling  up  onto  his  knees  and  grasping  hold  of 
the  sides  of  the  yawl,  he  looked  about  him.  The 
cetacean  had  cleared  itself  from  the  trap  and  was 
going  down  the  bay  with  the  boat  in  tow.  Already 
the  sloop  was  several  rods  in  the  rear,  and  Judd  was 
shouting  to  Budd  to  cut  the  rope  that  fastened  the 
yawl  to  the  harpoon,  so  firmly  imbedded  in  the  por- 
poise's back. 


BUDD  BOTD'8  TRIUMPff.  335 

Holding  on  to  the  yawl  with  one  hand,  Budd  took 
his  jack-knife  from  his  pocket  with  the  other  and 
opened  it  with  his  teeth.  He  then  crept  along  to 
the  bow  of  the  boat  and  raised  his  hand  to  sever  the 
line.  That  moment  there  was  a  movement  on  the 
part  of  his  singular  steed  that  led  him  to  change  his 
mind.  The  cetacean  turned  and  ran  obliquely  for 
the  shore,  and  hoping  to  yet  secure  the  monster, 
Budd  refrained  from  cutting  the  rope. 

"Look  out  for  the  net,  first,  then  come  on  and 
pick  me  up,"  he  shouted  back  to  Judd.  "  I'll  cut 
the  line  at  the  first  show  of  danger." 

The  wind  evidently  carried  his  words  back  to  his 
companions  with  sufficient  distinctness  to  be  com- 
prehended, for  they  at  once  returned  to  the  pound, 
beyond  which  they  had  already  passed  in  pursuing 
the  fleeing  yawl,  and  Budd  was  left  to  continue  his 
wild  ride  unattended. 

To  state  the  exact  truth,  the  lad  was  immensely 
enjoying  the  peculiar  situation  in  which  he  found 
himself.  As  long  as  the  porpoise  kept  at  the  surface 
of  the  water  he  knew  he  was  safe,  and  he  watched 
its  movements  sharply,  so  as  to  cut  the  bow-line  the 
moment  he  dived. 

But  no  such  movement  was  to  be  detected.  As 
though  stricken  with  panic,  and  bent  on  suicide,  the 
cetacean  fled  onward  until  opposite  the  huge  cliff  on 
the  west  shore  of  the  bay  known  as  Thurston's 
Rocks,  and  then  it  turned  and  ran  directly  inshore. 

"  It  is  sure  death  to  go  in  there,"  muttered  Budd 
at  this  movement  of  his  steed,  "and  I  don't  propose 
to  go  on  to  that  cliff  with  you." 


226  BtIDD  BOYD'S  TRItTMPit. 

With  knife  raised  he  waited  until  the  porpoise 
was  within  a  few  rods  of  the  shore;  then  with  a 
quick  stroke  he  severed  the  rope,  and  dropping  the 
knife,  seized  his  oars.  By  a  vigorous  use  of  these 
he  staid  the  impetus  of  the  yawl  and  turned  its  bow 
into  the  wind.  Before  he  had  accomplished  this, 
however,  the  cetacean  had  dashed  headlong  upon 
the  cliff,  and  now  tossed  helplessly  upon  the  surface 
of  the  water. 

For  a  few  minutes  Budd  held  the  yawl  in  check, 
and  watched  his  huge  victim.  He  did  not  dare  go 
nearer  to  the  cliff,  for  he  knew  the  waves  were  dash- 
ing upon  it  with  a  force  that  would  crush  the  boat  as 
though  but  a  cockle-shell,  and  yet  he  longed  to  se- 
cure his  prey. 

He  ran  his  eyes  along  the  rocks.  Just  beyond  the 
place  where  the  porpoise  lay  was  a  shelving  ledge, 
upon  which  he  knew  he  could  get  if  once  on  shore, 
and  from  the  ledge  he  believed  he  could  reach 
the  rope  that  was  fastened  to  the  cetacean.  But 
where  could  he  land  ? 

Above  him,  a  dozen  rods  or  so,  was  the  old 
tumbled-down  wharf  of  the  long-disused  "JSTorth 
Ferry."  Rowing  slowly  up  toward  this,  he  was 
able  to  bring  in  the  yawl  against  the  north,  and 
hence  the  sheltered,  side.   . 

Securing  the  boat  against  any  possible  escape,  he 
ran  quickly  down  the  shore.  Once  opposite  the 
shelving  rock,  he  with  difficulty  descended  to  the 
water's  edge,  and  regardless  of  wet  feet  and  wet 
arms  soon  caught  hold  of  the  rope  which  the  dash- 


btibb  BOTPS  fkltMPH.  227 

ing  waves  brought  within  his  reach.  He  found  also, 
to  his  delight,  that  the  rope  was  long  enougli  to  be 
carried  around  the  trunk  of  a  red  cedar  that  grew 
out  of  a  crevice  in  the  cliff  just  above  high-water 
mark. 

Having  securely  fastened  the  line,  Budd  stood  on 
the  ledge  a  few  minutes,  watching  the  motionless 
porpoise.  The  rising  tide  lifted  it  upon  the  ledge 
quite  near  him,  and  the  rope  slackened  somewhat  as 
it  was  relieved  of  the  cetacean's  weight. 

'•  I'll  take  another  half-hitch  around  the  harpoon, 
and  drive  that  deeper  into  the  porpoise ;  then  he 
can't  get  away,  and  we'll  come  and  get  him  after 
the  storm  is  over,"  Budd  thought. 

Carrying  out  his  thought,  he  made  the  half-hitch 
about  the  harpoon  with  the  slackened  rope ;  then  he 
seized  hold  of  the  protruding  weapon  and  pressed  it 
down  into  the  motionless  body  of  the  cetacean  with 
all  his  strength. 

The  next  moment  the  monster,  which  had  ap- 
parently only  been  stunned  by  its  dash  upon  the 
cliff,  and  was  now  revived  by  the  terrible  thrust  of 
the  lance  into  its  vitals,  gave  a  sudden  and  tremen- 
dous plunge,  which  snapped  the  cord  by  which  it 
was.  fastened  to  the  cedar  as  though  it  was  but  tow, 
and  lad  and  cetacean  together  rolled  off  from  the 
rocks  into  the  angry  waters. 


^38  ^UDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

A   MANLY   KESCUE. 

F'OETUNATELY  for  Budd,  he  was  thrown  by 
the  terrible  lunge  of  the  porpoise  more  than  ten 
feet  out  into  the  dashing  waves,  and  he  had  the  pres- 
ence of  mind,  the  moment  he  rose  to  the  surface  of 
the  water,  to  strike  boldly  off  shore.  In  this  way 
he  soon  placed  himself  beyond  any  fear  of  being 
dashed  back  upon  the  rocks. 

He  could  see,  also,  that  the  sloop  had  already  left 
the  fish-trap  and  was  bearing  down  toward  him,  but 
was  yet  a  long  distance  away.  He  resolved,  there- 
fore, to  swim  up  to  the  old  wharf  where  he  had  left 
the  yawl. 

Burdened  as  he  was  with  his  water-soaked  cloth 
ing,  it  is  doubtful  that  he  could  have  done  this,  short 
as  the  distance  was,  had  not  both  wind  and  tide 
been  in  his  favor.  As  it  was,  he  only  reached  the 
yawl  after  a  hard  struggle,  and  crawled  into  it  quite 
out  of  breath. 

When  the  sloop,  from  which  he  had,  ever  since  his 
sudden  and  unexpected  bath,  been  watched  with  anx- 
iety, came  in  near  the  wharf,  however,  he  was  suffi- 
ciently recovered  to  pull  slowly  off  to  her. 

"  Are  you  hurt,  Budd  ?''  Mr.  Boyd  asked,  anx- 
iously, as  he  helped  the  lad  on  board. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  229 

"Oh  !  no,"  Budd  replied,  with  a  laugh — "a  little 
uncomfortable  from  my  cold  bath  and  tired  with  my 
long  swim  in  the  rough  sea  is  all ;  soon  as  I  put  on 
dry  clothing  I  shall  be  all  right." 

"How  came  you  to  fall  off  of  the  cliff?"  asked 
Judd,  hardly  able  to  suppress  his  merriment  at  the 
ridiculous  figure  his  chum  presented  in  his  dripping 
clothing.  "  We  were  too  far  off  to  see  just  how  it 
happened." 

"  I'll  tell  you  as  soon  as  I  have  changed  these  duds 
for  something  more  comfortable,"  replied  Budd, 
good-naturedly,  and  descending  to  the  cabin,  where 
he  knew  there  were  some  old  clothes  kept  for  just 
such  an  emergency  as  that  into  which  his  adventure . 
with  the  porpoise  had  brought  him. 

He  was  soon,  with  his  father's  help,  comfortably 
clad,  and  back  onto  the  deck  of  the  sloop.  With  a 
good  deal  of  eclat  he  then  related  all  the  details  of 
his  adventure,  ending  with  the  wish  that  he  might 
have  secured  the  cetacean. 

"  We  can  get  him,  for  there  he  is,"  said  Judd. 

While  Budd  had  been  telling  his  story,  the  sloop 
had  been  slowly  brought  down  opposite  the  cliff, 
and,  as  Judd  had  declared,  the  porpoise  was  still 
lying  at  its  base.  The  thrust  that  Budd  had  given 
it  just  before  his  involuntary  bath  had  evidently 
been  a  fatal  one,  for  the  water  all  about  the  cetacean 
was  dyed  with  blood,  and  though  the  monster  strug- 
gled, it  was  but  feebly. 

"How  would  you  get  him?"  asked  Budd,  quickly, 
watchmg  the  porpoise  in  its  dying  struggles. 


250  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

"If  your  father  will  look  out  for  the  sloop  I'll  get 
you  to  set  me  ashore  at  the  wharf,"  explained  Judd. 
"  I'll  take  a  coil  of  rope  and  the  boat-hook  with  me, 
and  I  don't  believe  but  what  I  can  in  some  way 
fasten  a  line  on  to  the  fellow  and  throw  the  other 
end  off  here  to  you,  for  as  soon  as  you  have  landed 
me  you  wiU  want  to  row  back  here  with  the  yawl. 
After  picking  up  the  end  of  the  line  you  want  to 
carry  it  on  board  the  sloop,  and  then  return  to  the 
wharf  for  me.  Meantime  your  father  can  run  up 
along  the  shore  with  the  sloop,  towing  the  porpoise 
after  her,  and  when  we  have  got  back  on  board 
we'll  find  some  way  to  take  the  fellow  on  to  the 
island  with  us," 

"But  is  he  worth  all  that  trouble?"  asked  Mr. 
Boyd. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  both  lads  quickly  answered.  "  What 
oil  we  shall  get  out  of  him  will  more  than  pay  for 
our  trouble  and  the  damage  he  has  done  to  the  fish- 
trap." 

Judd's  plan  was  therefore  carried  out  in  every  im- 
portant detail.  The  lad  succeeded  in  hooking  up  the 
piece  of  rope  still  remaining  on  the  harpoon,  and  to 
this  spliced  one  end  of  the  coil  he  had  carried  with 
him.  He  then  threw  the  balance  of  the  rope  off 
to  his  waiting  partner,  and  the  work  of  attaching  it 
to  the  stern  of  the  sloop  was  speedily  done. 

Then,  when  back  on  the  sloop,  Judd  skillfully 
passed  a  stout  rope  through  the  strong  jaws  of  the 
cetacean,  and  brought  him  close  up  under  the  stern 
of  the  vessel  and  alongside  of  the  yawl ;  then,  with 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRWMPH.  2Zl 

both  in  tow,  the  Sea  Witch  rapidly  filled  away  for 
the  opposite  side  of  the  bay. 

The  wind  had  already  increased  to  such  violence 
that  before  the  passage  across  was  fully  made  it  was 
found  necessary  to  take  a  large  reef  in  the  mainsail 
of  the  sloop ;  and  the  waves  were  rolling  so  high 
that,  but  for  the  fact  that  the  fish-trap  was  directly 
under  the  lee  of  Canonicut  Island,  it  could  not  have 
been  attended  to. 

Indeed,  Mr.  Boyd  thought  it  wiser  to  remain  in 
the  sloop  while  the  lads  drew  and  reset  the  net  from 
the  yaw],  and  when  their  task  was  finished,  and  they 
had  returned  to  the  Sea  Witch,  he  remarked : 

"  You  told  me  I  would  see  aU  the  rough  weather 
I  cared  to  before  our  return  home,  Judd,  and  I  freely 
confess  you  were  right.  I  shall  be  glad  when  we 
reach  the  island."         , 

"  That  will  be  in  a  very  short  time,  now,"  responded 
Judd,  as  he  assisted  his  chum  in  getting  the  sloop 
ready  for  her  home  trip.  "  We  shan't  have  to  carry 
anything  but  our  jib,  either." 

The  speed  with  which  the  sloop  darted  off  before 
the  heav}"-  wind  warranted  his  assertion.  Their 
course  led  them  near  enough  to  Plum  Beach  Point 
for  them  to  see  that  Mr.  Benton  had  filled  his  flat- 
boat  with  sand,  and  was  now  trying  to  work  the 
craft  off  around  the  point. 

He  had  one  of  his  huge  sweeps  braced  against  the 
side  of  the  boat,  and  thus  pushed  it  off  shore,  while 
he,  step  by  step,  worked  it  along  toward  the  extreme 
end  of  the  sandy  beach.     His  object  was  clear.     If 


333  BUDD  BOTD'S  TRIUMPH. 

he  could  only  get  the  craft  around  the  point,  it  was 
evidently  his  intention  to  embark  upon  it  and  at- 
tempt to  run  up  the  bay. 

The  rapidity  with  which  the  Sea  Witch  was  run- 
ning soon  carried  her  occupants  out  of  sight  of  the 
man  and  brought  them  near  their  island  home. 
Fortunately  their  wharf  was  at  the  northwest  end 
of  the  island,  and  thus  in  a  measure  sheltered  from 
the  high  sea,  if  not  from  the  sweep  of  the  wind,  and 
they  made  their  landing  in  safety. 

The  sloop  was  moored  in  the  most  sheltered  nook 
the  island  afforded,  the  fish,  porpoise  and  yawl  were 
brought  on  shore,  and  all  was  in  readiness  for  the 
trio  to  seek  the  shelter  of  the  house.  Bracing  them- 
selves against  the  strong,  piercing  wind,  they  started 
along  the  path  that  led  to  their  dwelling,  when  a 
sudden  call  from  Judd,  who  was  in  the  rear,  caused 
his  companions  to  stop. 

"  Look !"  the  lad  exclaimed ;  "  Benton  has  actually 
got  his  boat  around  the  point,  and  is  now  driving 
helplessly  before  the  gale  !" 

Budd  and  his  father  looked  off  in  the  direction 
that  Judd  had  indicated,  and  saw  that  his  declaration 
was  only  too  true.  A  mile  or  so  away  was  the  fiat- 
boat,  sunk  nearly  to  her  gunwales  in  the  water,  while 
her  one  sail  flapped  loosely  in  the  wind.  Mr,  Ben- 
ton was  making  no  attempt  to  guide  the  craft,  but 
stood  near  the  swaying  mast,  clutching  it,  evidently 
in  sheer  desperation.  One  look  told  the  horrified 
spectators  what  had  happened.  The  boat  had  sprung 
aleak,  and  was  settling  beneath  the  angry  waves. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  233 

Mr.  Boyd  and  the  lads  watched  anxiously  the 
boat's  progress.  A  few  minutes  later  it  had  arrived 
near  enouo^h  for  them  to  distinguish  Mr.  Benton's 
face,  as  he  clung,  pale  and  terrified,  to  the  slender 
mast.  Certainly  he  now  realized  the  danger  he  was 
in,  and  knew  that  he  was  powerless  to  avert  it. 

Three  minutes  more  and  the  boat  would  reach  the 
island,  for  which  it  was  directly  coming.  Would  it 
keep  afloat  so  long?  No!  for  at  that  instant  a 
powerful  gust  of  wind  swept  down  upon  it,  causing 
it  to  tremble  from  stem  to  stern.  For  a  moment  the 
ill-fated  craft  seemed  to  try  to  shake  off  the  blow, 
and  then,  as  a  tremendous  wave  dashed  over  it,  it 
careened,  struggled  to  right  itself,  then  sunk  beneath 
the  dashing  waves. 

Through  the  heavy  rain  that  now  began  to  fall, 
the  anxious  watchers  looked  for  the  unfortunate 
man,  and  they  soon  discovered  him  battling  with  the 
angry  sea.  Another  moment  and  Budd  had  sprung 
into  the  yawl  tliat  was  moored  at  the  wharf,  and 
before  he  could  be  prevented  had  seized  the  oars  and 
was  pulling  off  toward  the  struggling  man. 

The  wind  was  against  him,  and  the  boat  was 
tossed  like  a  bit  of  cork  upon  the  waves ;  still  he 
slowly  approached  the  spot  where  he  had  last  seen 
his  old  employer.  It  was  evidently  a  hard  struggle, 
but  with  bare  head  and  resolute  face  the  heroic  lad 
pulled  on.  At  length  he  reached  Mr.  Benton,  and 
with  great  difficulty  drew  him  into  the  little  boat. 

The  wind  lulled  for  an  instant,  and,  laying  his 
exhausted  companion  down  in  the  yawl,  Budd  took 


234  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

advantage  of  the  circumstance  and  turned  the  toss- 
ing boat  for  the  island. 

Half  the  distance,  under  his  vigorous  stroke,  was 
gained,  when  the  wind  swept  down  in  greater  fury 
upon  him.  It  is  seldom  such  a  gust  of  wind  is  ex- 
perienced in  northern  latitudes.  Trees  were  over- 
turned, the  water  was  dashed  high  in  the  air,  and 
even  houses  were  unroofed  by  that  terrible  blast. 

When  it  had  passed,  Mr.  Boyd  and  Judd  arose 
from  the  ground  to  which  they  had  fallen  and 
looked  for  the  yawl.  It  lay  capsized  a  few  rods 
away,  while  Budd,  with  one  arm  supporting  the  un- 
conscious form  of  Mr.  Benton,  was  struggling  to 
reach  the  shore.  But  his  strength  soon  failed,  and 
the  huge  waves  rolled  within  the  reach  of  the  wait- 
ing man  and  boy — for  both  had  rushed  into  the 
angry  waters — two  unconscious  forms. 

As  soon  as  possible,  first  Budd,  and  then  Mr. 
Benton,  was  carried  into  the  house,  and  with  haste 
their  wet  clothing  was  removed,  and  their  cold 
limbs  chafed  until  the  returning  warmth  told  that 
their  sluggish  blood  was  again  in  circulation,  and 
their  lives  were  spared. 

Then  a  fire  was  built,  blankets  warmed,  and  coffee 
made.  Wrapped  up  in  one,  and  thoroughly  dosed 
with  the  other,  the  man  and  boy  were  then  put  in 
bed,  and  w^ere  soon  quietly  sleeping. 

It  was  night  when  Mr.  Benton  aroused  and  found 
Judd  sitting  by  his  bedside. 

"  How  came  I  here  ?"  he  asked. 

"  Well,  I  suppose  the  chief  reason  you  are  here," 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  335 

replied  Judd,  bluntly,  "  is  because  Budd,  at  the  risk 
of  his  own  life,  went  off  in  the  yawl  after  you  ;"  and 
he  then  briefly  told  the  story  of  the  man's  rescue. 

"  Budd  is  all  right,  then?"  the  man  asked,  with 
some  show  of  feeling. 

''  Yes,  his  father  is  with  him ;  and  when  I  was  in 
there,  a  short  time  ago,  he  was  sleeping  nicely,"  an- 
swered Judd,  shortly. 

Mr.  Benton  said  no  more,  and  after  taking  the 
food  and  warm  drink  Judd  brought  him,  he  soon 
went  to  sleep  again. 

It  was  morning  when  he  awoke  and  found  his 
clothes  nicely  dried  by  his  bedside.  Dressing  him- 
self, he  went  out  to  the  kitchen,  where  he  found  Mr. 
Boyd  and  the  two  lads.  Budd,  with  the  exception 
of  a  little  paleness,  seemed  quite  like  himself. 

Mr.  Benton  made  no  allusion  to  his  rescue  what- 
ever, and  the  inmates  of  the  house  did  not  speak  of 
it.  After  breakfast,  however,  the  man  turned  to 
Judd  and  asked  if  he  could  be  set  ashore. 

"Not  while  it  storms  so,"  replied  Judd,  in  sur- 
prise. "A  small  boat  couldn't  live  in  this  sea,  and 
even  with  the  sloop  there  would  be  a  grave  risk. 
You  will  have  to  wait  until  the  storm  is  over,  Mr. 
Benton." 

The  man  made  no  reply,  but  Budd  asked  : 

"Did  the  yawl  come  ashore  all  right?" 

"  It  was  stove  up  a  little  before  I  could  get  out 
and  attend  to  it,"  replied  Judd  ;  "  but  we  can  fix  it 
easily  as  soon  as  the  weather  will  permit." 

There  was  no  cessation  of  the  storm  until  night, 


236  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

and  on  account  of  the  needful  repairs  to  the  yawl, 
Mr.  Benton  was  obliged  to  remain  on  the  island 
until  another  morning. 

During  the  whole  time  he  in  no  way  mentioned 
the  great  risk  Budd  had  undergone  in  his  behalf, 
but  just  before  his  departure  on  the  second  morning 
he  remarked  : 

"  I  'spose  ye  don't  hate  me  no  longer,  Budd  ?" 

"  I  have  never  hated  you,  Mr.  Benton,"  Budd 
promptly  replied. 

"  I  dunno  as  ye  have,"  he  assented ;  "  ye  don't  act 
as  though  ye  did,  anyway,  an'  I'll  be  friends,  if  ye 
will." 

Budd  shook  the  hand  which  was  offered  him,  and 
without  another  word  Mr.  Benton  took  his  depart- 
ure. Knowing  the  man  as  he  did,  the  lad  was  almost 
surprised  that  he  should  have  shown  as  much  feeling 
as  he  had ;  but  he  was  greatly  surprised  at  what 
soon  followed. 

Meeting  Mr.  "Wright  a  few  days  later,  that  gentle- 
man accosted  him  with  the  question  : 

"  I  say,  Budd,  what  have  you  been  doing  to  Mr. 
Benton  ?" 

"  Nothing  bad,  I  hope,"  responded  the  boy,  with 
a  laugh. 

"  I  guess  not,  either,"  said  Mr.  Wright ;  "  but  I 
tell  you  I  was  taken  aback  when  he  came  over  to 
my  house  the  other  day  and  actually  asked  my  for- 
giveness for  whatever  wrong  he  had  done  me,  and 
promised  to  be  a  good  neighbor  from  this  time  for- 
ward.   Little  by  little  I  got  the  whole  story  of  how 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  23'J' 

you  rescued  him,  and  then  I  knew  the  cause  of  the 
change  in  him.  I  tell  you,  the  day  of  the  impossible 
hasn't  come  yet." 

And  Budd  thought  so  a  few  days  later  when  he 
received  from  Mr.  Benton  himself  a  fine  gold  watch 
as  a  token  of  gratitude  for  the  noble  favor  he  had 
done  him. 

On  one  of  the  inside  cases  was  Budd's  name,  and 
the  date  of  his  brave  act.  The  outside  cases  were 
plain,  with  a  single  exception.  The  upper  lid  was 
engraved  with  an  olive-leaf — emblematic  of  the 
peace  that  was  now  fully  assured  between  the  lad 
and  himself. 

"  Who  would  have  thought  the  old  miser  would 
have  been  so  generous!"  exclaimed  Judd,  as  he 
looked  the  watch  over. 

"  Or  possessed  so  much  poetic  sentiment,"  added 
Mr.  Boyd,  laughingly. 

"  He  must  have  had  some  good  in  him,  with  all 
his  faults,  or  ho  would  never  have  so  quickly 
changed,"  said  Budd,  thoughtfully. 

A  declaration  his  companions  readily  accepted. 


:J3g    ,  ^UDb  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 


T 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE   firm's   profits. 

HE  STORY  now  moves  forward  a  f«w  weeks. 
It  is  November,  and  Thanksgiving  is  close  at 
hand.  The  fishing  season  is  also  nearly  over.  In 
fact  the  business  of  the  young  firm  has  for  some 
time  been  principally  the  shipping  of  oysters  to  the 
neighboring  towns  and  cities.  Not  that  they  had 
beds  of  these  delicious  bivalves,  but  had  made  ar- 
rangements with  the  owner  of  an  extensive  plat  a 
a  few  miles  up  the  bay  to  market  the  oysters  on 
shares. 

Into  all  the  work  of  the  young  partners  Mr.  Boyd 
had  entered  with  zest ;  and  under  the  healthful  ex- 
ercise and  invigorating  sea-air  his  usually  slender 
frame  grew  strong,  his  muscles  toughened  percepti- 
bly, and  so  hearty  an  appetite  was  created  that  he 
himself  laughingly  declared  he  had  never  eaten  so 
in  his  life,  and  he  guessed  it  never  would  be  satis- 
fied. 

There  was  another  inmate  of  the  island  home 
now,  also.  One  day  Judd  had  taken  a  trip  up  to 
the  State  Farm,  and  when  he  returned  his  father 
came  with  him,  sober  and  in  his  right  mind.  He  at 
first  seemed  somewhat  ashamed  to  meet  Mr.  Boyd, 


^UDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  239 

who  had  known  him  in  the  days  of  his  early  man- 
hood, and  before  the  accursed  habit  of  drink  had  be- 
come fastened  upon  him ;  but  his  brother-in-law 
met  him  so  kindly,  and  seemed  so  thoroughly  inter- 
ested in  his  reformation,  that  he,  too,  began  to  take 
heart,  and  said : 

"If  I  can  only  keep  away  from  the  sight  and 
smell  of  the  abominable  stuff,  perhaps  I  can  be  a 
man." 

So  he  remained  for  the  most  part  upon  the  island. 
He  was  particularly  skillful  in  cutting  out  oysters, 
and  this  soon  became  his  recognized  part  of  the 
young  firm's  business. 

There  had  been  frequent  talks  between  the 
inmates  of  the  island  home  as  to  what  they  should 
do  as  the  winter  months  came  on.  Delightful  as 
the  place  was  for  the  warmer  months  of  the  year,  it 
was  too  bleak  for  a  winter  abode.  Then,  too,  there 
would  soon  be  but  little  work  in  which  they  could 
engage.  But  as  the  weather  still  remained  mild  and 
pleasant,  no  definite  plan  was  agreed  upon  ;  in  fact 
they  were  all  loath  to  leave  a  spot  that  for  many 
reasons  had  become  inexpressibly  dear  to  them. 

So  the  week  before  Thanksgiving  came,  and  found 
them  still  at  the  island.  The  work  for  the  day  was 
over,  and  they  had  gathered,  as  was  tlieir  custom, 
about  the  cozy  sitting-room  fire.  The  two  fathers 
were  reading,  while  the  boys  were  busy  with  their 
accounts. 

"There  are  nearly  one  hundred  dollars  out. in 
small  bills  that  we  shall  have  to  collect  before  we 


240  BttDP  ^OTD'S  TRIUMPH, 

can  tell  just  what  our  season's  work  is  going  to 
amount  to,"  Budd  said  in  a  low  tone  to  his  partner. 

"Well,  you  call  off  the  names  and  amounts,  and  I 
will  fill  out  the  statements,  and  we'll  send  them  out 
at  once,"  Judd  responded,  drawing  a  small  writing- 
desk  toward  him. 

For  an  hour  or  longer  the  lads  Avere  engaged  in 
this  work ;  but  it  was  at  length  finished,  and  the 
account-books  were  put  away. 

"  I'll  tell  you,  Judd,  what  I  want  to  do  before  we 
leave  here,"  Budd  now  said. 

"  What  is  it  V  his  partner  asked,  with  interest. 

"Go  off  for  a  good  long  sail;  make  a  day  of 
pleasure  of  it.  For  months  we  have  had  nothing 
but  business,  and  I  should  really  like  to  put  a  dinner 
on  board  the  sloop,  and  fuel,  so  we  can  make  our 
tea  or  coffee,  and  all  of  us  go  off  for  a  day's 
cruise." 

"Where  would  you  go?"  inquired  Judd,  laugh- 
ingly. "  There  are  very  few  places  around  here 
that  you  have  not  visited." 

"  Oh !  go  just  where  we  took  a  notion  to  go," 
Budd  replied.  "The  enjoyable  part  of  the  trip 
would  be  in  not  having  a  definite  place  fixed  before 
we  started." 

"  Well,  if  to-morrow  should  prove  as  pleasant  as 
to-day  has  been,  you  couldn't  choose  a  better  time 
for  going,"  went  on  his  chum.  "  Father  and  Uncle 
Henry,  what  do  you  think  of  Budd's  idea  ?" 

All  four  were  soon  busy  discussing  the  suggestion, 
and  they  went  to  their  rooms  with  the  understand- 


btJDD  BOYJb'S  TRitJMPU.  241 

ing  that  if  the  morrow  proved  a  fine  day  the  trip 
should  be  undertaken. 

The  lads  were  up  early,  and  found  the  day  was 
promising  to  be  all  that  they  could  ask.  The 
preparations  were  rapidly  made,  therefore,  and  at 
nine  o'clock  all  necessary  provisions  had  been 
stowed  on  board  the  sloop  and  they  were  ready  to 
embark. 

"Here,  Budd;  we  are  to  go  where  you  take  a 
notion  to  go,  so  you  can  take  the  helm,"  cried  out 
Judd,  hurrying  to  cast  off  the  sloop's  fastenings  and 
to  hoist  her  jib  and  sail. 

Budd  took  the  assigned  place,  and  turned  the  bow 
of  the  Sea  Witch  down  the  bay.  The  wind  was 
from  the  northwest,  and  they  went  along  at  a  good 
rate  of  speed. 

Arriving  at  the  mouth  of  the  bay,  Budd  turned 
the  sloop  to  the  west  and  ran  in  close  to  the  shore, 
so  as  to  have  a  good  view  of  the  Pier,  whose  hotels 
and  cottages,  closed  for  the  season,  made  it  seem  like 
a  deserted  city.  On  they  went  until  Point  Judith 
was  reached ;  then  Budd  put  up  the  helm  and  ran 
directly  out  to  sea. 

The  north  light  of  Block  Island  was  passed  on  the 
left,  and  along  the  west  shore  of  that  gem  of  the 
sea  the  boat  sped.  At  the  southern  end  the  sloop 
was  turned  to  the  east,  and  it  was  evident  that  Budd 
was  groino:  to  run  around  the  island.  It  was  now 
after  twelve  o'clock,  and  Judd  asked : 

"  Shall  you  land  for  dinner,  Budd,  or  shall  I  get  it 
ready  in  the  cabin  ?" 


24^  BtJDD  SOTB'S  TRIUMPH. 

"We  are  not  going  to  land  anywhere  until  we 
touch  our  own  dock,"  said  Budd,  in  high  glee.  "  I 
catoe  out  for  a  sail,  and  I'm  going  to  have  it.  You 
can  get  dinner  ready  when  you  like." 

Judd  went  into  the  cabin,  built  a  fire  in  the  tiny 
stove,  and  soon  the  fragrant  odor  of  coffee  filled  the 
air.  After  awhile  he  announced  dinner,  and  Mr. 
Boyd  and  Mr.  Floyd  went  down  to  partake  of  it. 

Budd,  left  alone  on  deck,  and,  as  he  afterward 
said,  taken  with  a  freak,  put  the  sloop  about  again 
and  ran  off  to  sea.  Those  at  dinner  thought  little 
of  it  until  they  felt  the  sloop  suddenly  heave  up  into 
the  wind  and  heard  Budd  call  out : 

"  Here,  Judd,  quick ;  I  want  you." 

They  all  jumped  to  their  feet  and  rushed  out  of 
the  cabin.  The  sloop  was  miles  off  the  southeast  of 
Block  Island,  which  looked  like  a  mere  cloud  at  the 
northwest.  Her  sails  flapped  idly  in  the  wind,  her 
helm  was  lashed,  and  Budd,  with  the  scoop-net  in 
hand,  was  trying  to  reach  several  large  bunches  of 
grayish  matter  that  were  tossing  a  few  feet  away 
upon  the  waves. 

"What  is  it?"  asked  Judd,  coming  to  Budd's 
assistance,  and  letting  the  sloop  off  a  little  so  she 
would  swing  nearer  to  the  object  his  partner  was 
endeavoring  to  reach. 

"I  don't  know,"  answered  Budd,  catching  the 
largest  bunch  in  his  net  and  drawing  it  on  board, 
"  but  I'll  soon  find  out." 

But  the  more  he  examined  the  object,  the  more 
puzzled  he  was.    While  grayish  in  color  at  a  dis- 


BtfDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  243 

tance,  on  close  inspection  it  proved  to  be  variegated, 
like  marble.  It  also  had  a  fatty,  oily  appearance, 
but  was  solid  to  the  touch,  and  when  rubbed  gave 
forth  a  peculiar  sweet,  earthy  odor. 

"  What  do  you  call  it,  father  ?"  he  at  length  asked. 

"It  is  evidently  a  fatty  matter  of  some  kind,  but 
I  cannot  tell  its  precise  nature,"  Mr.  Boyd  replied. 

Mr.  Floyd,  however,  with  a  sparkle  in  his  eye, 
said: 

"  My  opinion  is,  lad,  that  you  had  better  get  the 
rest  of  it,  for  if  I  mistake  not  you  have  found  a 
treasure." 

As  he  spoke  he  took  from  his  pocket  a  knife  and 
cut  off  a  thin  slice  of  the  matter,  and  applied  a 
lighted  match  to  it.  It  flashed  almost  like  powder, 
and  the  sweet  odor  was  strongly  noticeable. 

"I  thought  so,"  he  said,  "though  I  never  saw 
any  of  the  stuff  but  once  before,  and  then  only  a 
tiny  piece.  It's  ambergris,  and  it's  worth  dollars 
and  dollars  a  pound." 

"I'v^e  read  about  it,"  said  Budd,  quickly.  "It  is 
a  substance  that  forms  in  the  intestines  of  the 
whale,  and  is  occasionally  found  floating  on  the  sea 
or  thrown  upon  the  shore.  They  use  it  in  the 
manufacture  of  perfumery  and  cordials;  and  as 
Uncle  Silas  says,  it  is  very  valuable.  Here,  Judd, 
help  me  to  get  the  rest  of  it." 

Elated  at  their  discovery,  the  boys  worked  the 
sloop  down  near  the  other  pieces,  and  gathered 
them  aU  up.  There  were  a  half  dozen  in  all,  the 
largest  being  the  one  that  Budd  had  first  secured, 


244  ^UDt)  noTD'S  TRItiMPff. 

while  one  or  two  were  comparatively  small  in  size. 

"  How  many  pounds  do  you  think  there  are  of 
it,  Uncle  Silas?"  asked  Budd,  when  all  had  been 
secured. 

"ISTigh  on  to  thirty  pounds,  I  reckon,"  he  said, 
lifting  the  pieces  one  by  one. 

"  It  is  the  biggest  haul,  then,  Ave  have  made  this 
season,"  remarked  Judd,  with  open  eyes. 

"I  rather  think  so,"  was  Budd's  emphatic  re- 
sponse. 

The  ambergris  was  placed  in  a  tub  the  lads  had 
on  board  and  taken  down  into  the  cabin.  Then  the 
sloop  resumed  her  cruise,  which  was  now  in  the 
direction  of  the  Brenton  Reef  lightship.  From 
there  she  went  up  through  the  east  passage  to 
Newport,  where,  contrary  to  Budd's  declaration  a 
few  hours  before,  a  landing  was  made. 

In  the  lad's  opinion,  circumstances  sometimes 
justified  an  alteration  in  one's  plans,  and  he  was 
anxious  to  ascertain  if  the  substance  he  had  found 
was  really  the  commercial  ambergris  it  was  thought 
to  be.  So  the  stop  was  made,  and  wdth  a  small 
piece  of  the  substance  in  hand  he  went  up  to  a  large 
drug  store,  and  submitted  it  to  the  inspection  of  the 
proprietor. 

The  apothecary,  after  looking  at  the  substance 
attentively,  went  into  a  back  room.  He  was  gone 
so  long  that  Budd  began  to  get  impatient ;  but  he, 
on  returning,  explained  his  lojfvg  absence  in  these 
words : 

"  I  have  subjected  this  to  every  known  test,  and 


BUDB  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH,  245 

it  proves  genuine.  Have  you  much  of  it?  And 
where  did  you  find  it  V 

Budd  gave  a  full  account  of  his  finding  the  sub- 
stance, and  stated  how  much  he  believed  he  had. 
Then  he  ventured  to  ask  its  value. 

"  It  is  seldom,  in  these  waters,  that  so  much  is 
found,"  replied  the  druggist,  "  though  there  was  a 
parallel  case  with  yours  a  few  summers  ago  on  the 
shore  of  Cape  Cod.  As  to  the  amount  you  will 
receive  for  it,  that  depends  on  the  supply  on  hand 
at  this  time,  far  the  larger  portion  of  this  material 
now  used  in  the  country  being  imported.  No  retail 
druggist  would  Avant  to  buy  a  hundredth  part  of 
what  you  have.  But  I'll  tell  you  what  I  am  willing 
to  do.  We,  as  you  may  know,  have  a  branch  house 
in  New  York  City.  If  you  are  a  mind  to  leave 
your  find  with  me,  I  will  try  and  dispose  of  it  for 
you." 

"  What  would  you  ask  for  your  trouble  ?"  asked 
Budd. 

"Well,"  said  the  man,  smilingly,  "I  think  we 
ought  to  have  five  per  cent,  of  the  net  amount  re- 
ceived." 

"  I'll  go  down  and  consult  with  my  partner  in  the 
find,"  said  the  lad,  "  and  if  we  decide  to  accept  the 
offer  we  will  bring  it  right  up  here." 

"  Yery  weU,"  the  druggist  replied. 

A  consultation  with  Judd  and  the  two  fathers  was 
immediately  held,  and  the  result  was  the  lads  took 
the  ambergris  up  to  the  store.  On  reaching  there 
it  was  weighed  and  found  to  fall  a  little  short  of  the 


246  BUDI)  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

lads'  expectations,  as  there  were  but  twenty-six  and 
one-half  pounds  of  it. 

"  Not  a  bad  find,  I  assure  you,"  said  the  proprietor 
of  the  store,  filling  out  a  receipt  for  the  substance, 
which  he  handed  to  the  boys.  "  In  about  a  week 
you  may  expect  a  check  from  me,  and  I  will  guar- 
antee it  will  exceed  two  thousand  dollars." 

It  came  within  four  days,  however,  and  was 
drawn  for  the  amount  of  two  thousand  five  hundred 
and  seventeen  dollars  and  fifty  cents,  the  ambergris 
having  sold  readily  for  one  hundred  dollars  a  pound; 
and  the  druggist,  having  deducted  his  five  per  cent, 
commission,  remitted  the  balance  to  the  lads. 

"Not  a  bad  sum  for  deposit,  chum,"  remarked 
Budd  complacently,  as  he  looked  the  check  over. 
"  Now,  if  we  can  finish  collecting  our  bills,  we  can 
draw  a  balance-sheet  on  Thanksgiving-day  and  see 
what  our  profits  for  the  season  have  been." 

Though  the  inmates  of  the  Fox  Island  house  had 
received  an  urgent  invitation  to  spend  Thanksgiving 
with  Mr.  Johnson  in  Boston  they  had  declined,  pre- 
ferring to  spend  it  at  their  own  home. 

When  the  day  came,  it  found  the  affairs  of  the 
young  firm  practically  closed  up  for  the  season. 
The  pound-nets  had  been  taken  up,  cleaned,  and  re- 
turned to  Mr.  Taylor,  the  owner.  Crates  and  cars 
and  traps  were  stored  in  an  unused  room  over  the 
kitchen.  Bills  were  collected,  and  all  expenses  paid. 
The  balance-sheet  of  the  firm  was  drawn,  and  after 
dinner  it  was  read  and  discussed  with  much  pride 
and  interest  on  the  part  of  the  young  partners. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 


24^ 


"Our  receipts  have  been  as  follows,"  and  Budd 
read  this  to  his  attentive  listeners : 

From  the  fish-pounds, $331.27 

From  fish  secured  in  other  ways,  .        .         .  39.74 

From  clams,  lobsters,  scallops  and  oysters,       .  195.20 

From  sailing  and  fishing-parties,  .         .         .  115.00 
From  Mr.  Benton,  as  a  compensation  for  taking 

our  boats 25.00 

Our  part  of  Clapp  &  St.  John's  reward,        .  1,000.00 

Sale  of  ambergris, 2,517.50 


Making  a  total  of $4,223.71 

Our  total  expenses  have  been  ....        263.19 


Leaving  a  net  balance  of       ...        .       $3,960.52 

"  This  gives  to  each  partner  the  handsome  income 
of  $1,980.26.  Hurrah!"  and  the  lad  waved  high 
in  the  air  the  balance-sheet  he  had  been  reading. 

"  But  what  pleases  me,"  said  Judd,  "  is  that  with- 
out the  unexpected  amounts  that  have  come  from 
the  reward  and  the  remarkable  find,  we  have  had  a 
profitable  season.  Take  the  profits  of  our  business 
alone,  and  we  have  the  nice  sum  of  four  hundred 
and  forty-three  dollars  and  two  cents,  or  over  two 
hundred  dollars  apiece  for  the  season.  That  is  a 
better  average  than  I  promised  you  when  you  came 
here,  Budd." 

"Yes,  indeed,"  replied  Budd,  warmly. 

Then  he  said  to  his  father : 

"  Of  course  I  have  drawn  something  for  personal 
expenses,  and  so  has  Judd ;  but  on  looking  over  our 
bank  account  we  find  we  have  on  deposit  nearly 


j>48  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

thirty-seven  hundred  dollars;  so  Judd  has  author- 
ized me  to  say  that  if  you  would  like  to  have  that 
amount  to  go  into  business  with,  you  are  welcome 
to  it.  With  what  you  have  left  of  the  money  Mr. 
Johnson  refunded,  you  would  have  a  capital  larger 
than  a  good  many  men  have  started  with." 

"  I  thank  you  kindly  for  the  offer,"  said  Mr.  Boyd 
with  much  feeling,  "  and  in  a  fevf  days  we  will  see 
what  had  better  be  done.  I  have  enjoyed  staying 
here  ver}^  much,  and  have  gained  a  good  deal  of 
strength  from  this  life ;  but  I  am  beginning  to  feel 
I  ought  to  be  doing  something  more  remunerative, 
before  a  great  while.  You — and  Judd,  too — how- 
ever much  you  like  the  business  you  have  engaged 
in,  are  capable  of  something  better,  and  ought  to  be 
in  some  good  school.  Perhaps  we  can  arrange  the 
matter  so  that  a  portion  of  this  money  can  be  used 
for  your  immediate  expenses  in  this  direction,  while 
I,  with  the  balance,  enter  business  life' again.  I  have 
a  feeling  I  should  prefer  a  small  business  by  myself 
than  to  accept  a  clerkship  under  another ;"  and  Mr. 
Boyd  dropped  his  head  upon  his  hand  in  deep 
thought. 

At  about  the  same  hour  Mr.  Johnson  sat  in  his 
library  in  his  palatial  residence  in  Boston,  thinking 
no  less  deeply.     After  awhile  he  exclaimed,  aloud : 

"I  will  do  it!" 

Then  he  took  up  his  pen  and  wrote  a  brief  note. 
Placing  it  in  an  envelope,  he  addressed  it  to  Mr. 
Boyd,  and  ringing  the  bell,  he  gave  it  to  the  servant 
who  answered  his  ring,  saying : 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  249 

"  Have  John  carry  that  out  to  the  nearest  box." 
Brief  as  that  note  was,  it  was  destined  to  change, 
and  for  the  better,  the  plans  that  were  slowly  form- 
ing in  Mr.  Boyd's  mind  for  not  only  himself  but  the 
other  dwellers  in  that  island  home. 


250  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIVMPH. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

MR.  Johnson's  munificence. 

OlST  THE  following  Saturday  the  two  lads  went 
over  to  the  village,  their  principal  errand  being 
to  secure  a  boarding-place  for  themselves  and  fathers, 
for  it  had  been  decided  to  leave  the  island  the  coming 
week.  Then  Mr.  Boyd  was  going  on  to  Boston  to 
see  about  entering  business,  and  also  about  putting 
the  boys  into  some  good  school.  Mr.  Floyd  had 
asked  that  his  brother-in-law  would  so  arrange  the 
business  that  work  might  be  found  for  him. 

"I  don't  care  so  much  for  wages,"  he  had  ex- 
plained, "  as  to  be  near  you  and  the  lads.  I  want 
you  all  to  help  me  watch  myself." 

The  young  partners  soon  found  a  boarding-house 
where  they  could  obtain  a  parlor  and  two  sleeping- 
rooms,  with  board,  at  what  seemed  to  them  a 
reasonable  figure,  and  promising  to  give  their 
decision  early  the  next  week  they  left  the  house. 
On  their  way  back  to  the  sloop  they  stepped  into 
the  post-office  for  their  mail,  and  were  handed  a 
letter  for  Mr.  Boyd. 

"It  is  from  Mr.  Johnson,"  said  Budd,  as  he 
glanced  at  the  address.  "  I  wonder  what  he  wants 
of  father?" 

"Nothing  baa,  you  can  be  sure,"  replied  Judd. 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  251. 

"  The  day  has  gone  by  for  either  jon  or  your  father 
to  fear  anything  from  that  source.  I  am  not  sure 
but  the  greatest  of  your  triumphs  has  been  to  win 
him  for  a  friend." 

"  He  certainly  is  a  friend  now,"  Budd  admitted, 
his  heart  going  out  strongly  toward  the  man  he  had 
once  counted  his  enemy  ;  but  he  little  thought  what 
the  outcome  of  that  letter  was  to  be. 

"  I  presume  we  are  taking  our  last  sail  for  months, 
at  least,  in  our  sloop,"  he  remarked,  as  they  took 
their  places  in  the  boat  and  sailed  off  down  the 
harbor.  "  She  seems  like  a  near  friend  to  me,  and  I 
shall  be  sorry  when  we  leave  her." 

"  So  shall  I,"  assented  Judd ;  "  but  still  I  confess 
I  am  glad  we  are  going  on  with  our  schooling.  I 
had  hoped  for  nothing,  however,  quite  as  grand  as 
Ave  probably  shall  have ;"  and  there  was  more  truth 
in  his  words  then  he  himself  knew. 

They  were  still  discussing  the  plans  they  hoped 
to  realize  when  they  reached  the  island.  Mr.  Boyd 
was  at  the  wharf,  and  immediately  opened  the 
letter  Budd  gave  him. 

''  Hold  on !"  he  a  moment  later  cried  out,  as  Budd 
was  about  to  take  the  sloop  to  her  anchorage.  "  This 
letter  has  laid  in  the  office  ever  since  yesterday  noon. 
Mr.  Johnson  simply  says  he  is  coming  down  to- 
night to  remain  over  Sunday  with  us,  and  wants  you 
to  meet  him  at  the  six  o'clock  train.  One  of  you 
will  have  to  go  back  to  the  village  after  him." 

"•  We  will  both  go,"  replied  Judd ;  "there  is  noth- 
ing else  to  do," 


252  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

So  the  sloop  was  put  in  readiness  for  the  return 
trip  to  the  village. 

Whatever  Mr.  Johnson's  coming  meant  he  in  no 
way  disclosed  to  the  lads  as  they  met  him  at  the 
depot.  He  greeted  them  cordially,  but  seemed 
anxious  to  reach  the  island,  and  was  unusually  silent 
and  preoccupied  in  mind  the  whole  way  over. 

His  meeting  of  Mr.  Boyd  at  the  wharf  was  warm, 
almost  aflfectionate,  and  in  a  way  indicated  his  pur- 
pose in  making  this  visit. 

"My  dear  Henry,"  he  said,  grasping  Mr.  Boyd's 
hand,  "I  have  found  I  cannot  get  along  without 
you,  and  so  have  come  to  make  you  an  important 
proposal — important  to  me,  at  least,  if  not  to  you." 

Mr.  Boyd  led  the  way  up  to  the  house,  while  the 
lads  secured  the  boat  for  the  night.  Supper  was  on 
the  table,  and  as  soon  as  the  boys  came  in  all  sat 
down  to  eat  it.  When  it  was  finished,  Mr.  Boyd, 
turning  to  Mr.  Johnson,  asked: 

"  Did  you  wish  to  see  me  alone,  sir  ?" 

"  No ;  all  of  you  are  more  or  less  interested  in  what 
I  have  to  say,  and  I  will  wait  until  the  boys  have 
cleared  away  the  table  and  can  join  us  in  the  sitting- 
room." 

Curiosity  to  know  just  what  was  coming  hastened 
the  lads'  movements,  and  in  a  very  few  minutes  all 
were  seated  about  the  fire,  and  Mr.  Johnson  began  : 

"  Henry,  I  want  to  ask,  first  of  all,  if  you  have 
really  forgiven  me  the  part  that  I  innocently  played 
in  securing  your  imprisonment  ?  This  boy  has,"  and 
he    laid  his  hand  on   Budd's   head;  "but  I  have 


BUDD  SOTD'S  TRttlMPIt.  263 

thought  you,  who  were  the  greatest  sufferer,  still  held 
a  little  resentment  against  me.     Is  it  not  so  ?" 

"  I  have  always  thought  my  years  of  faithfulness 
to  you  ought  to  have  counted  for  something  when  I 
was  accused  of  forgery,  but  you  seemed  to  jump  at 
once  to  the  conclusion  that  I  must  be  guilty,  and  so 
you  would  in  no  way  admit  that  my  explanation 
might  be  the  true  one,"  Mr.  Boyd  replied. 

Then  he  went  on,  with  marked  hesitation : 

"  I  don't  think  I  have  felt  just  right  toward  you 
since  then — not,  perhaps,  as  I  ought  to  feel.  Your 
mistake  may  have  been  a  natural  one;  still  you 
seemed  to  me  to  be  too  hasty  in  your  judgment." 

"  So  I  was,"  admitted  Mr.  Johnson,  frankly ;  "  and 
the  same  fault  led  me  to  misjudge  your  boy  also. 
But,  Henry,  I  have  learned  my  lesson  well,  I  believe, 
and  you  hold  a  higher  place  in  my  estimation  now 
than  ever  before,  while  this  boy  has  my  heart." 

He  paused  a  moment,  visibly  affected  by  his  own 
words,  then  went  rapidly  on : 

"  Henry,  I  am  getting  to  be  an  old  man,  my  busi- 
ness is  getting  larger  than  I  can  manage,  and  since 
you  have  been  away  from  me  I  see  how  much  you 
were  the  real  head  of  the  whole  concern.  I  have 
come,  therefore,  to  ask  \^ou  to  show  your  forgiveness 
of  the  wrong  I  have  done  you  by  coming  back  to  me, 
not  as  my  confidential  clerk,  but  as  my  equal  part- 
ner in  the  new  firm  of  Johnson  &  Boyd,  the  whole 
business  to  be  under  your  direct  management  and 
care.  In  fact,  Henry,  the  papers  are  all  here  ready 
for  your  signature.     You  can  look  them  over  and 


254  BVDD  BOYD'S  TRItlMPB. 

see  if  the  conditions  are  satisfactory  before  you  give 
your  answer.  But  I  trust  you  Avill  find  it  in  your 
heart  to  accept  my  offer." 

He  took  from  his  pocket  a  package  of  papers  and 
handed  them  over  to  Mr.  Boyd,  who  took  them  me- 
chanically, for  he  seemed  completely  overwhelmed 
at  Mr.  Johnson's  magnificent  offer. 

"Now,  my  lads,"  said  Mr.  Johnson,  turning  to 
Budd  and  Judd,  "  I  have  a  proposition  to  make  you. 
I  have  no  children,  as  you  know,  and  my  great  house 
in  the  city  needs  some  young  life.  I  have  watched 
and  admired  the  industry  and  uprightness  you  boys 
have  this  summer  displayed.  But  you  ought  to  do 
something  better  than  the  work  you  have  been 
doing,  however  honorable  that  may  be.  You  want 
first  the  school  and  then  the  college ;  after  that  the 
business  or  professional  life.  I  invite  you,  then,  to 
come  to  my  home  as  my  boys,  to  be  educated  as  my 
sons,  and  to  be  my  heirs.  Do  not  think  I  mean  by 
this  a  separation  from  your  fathers ;  we  will  find  a 
place  in  the  house  for  them,  for  there  can  be  found 
work  at  the  store  for  Mr.  Floyd,  and  thus  you  can 
all  be  where  you  can  see  each  other  every  day. 
What  I  want  is  to  have  you  with  me,  so  that  your 
fresh  young  lives  will  enliven  mine,  and  teach  me 
how  to  soften  the  hard,  stern  heart  that  has  twice 
led  me  to  commit  acts  I  must  to  my  dying  day  re- 
gret ;"  and  now  the  tears  ran  down  the  old  man's 
cheeks  unhindered. 

This  was  but  the  opening  of  the  great  plan  that 
had  entered  Mr.  Johnson's  heart  and  mind  as  he  sat 


BtJDD.BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  255 

alone  in  his  library  on  Thanksgiving  evening  and 
exclaimed : 

"  I  will  do  it !" 

Little  by  little  he  unfolded  all  his  hopes  concern- 
ing the  lads  in  whom  he  had  become  so  interested  ; 
step  by  step  he  made  known  what  he  wanted  to  do 
for  the  middle-aged  men,  one  of  whom  he  had  so 
cruelly  wronged ;  until,  as  they  listened,  his  hearers 
became  bewildered  with  the  man's  large-heartedness 
and  munificence. 

But  Mr.  Johnson's  purpose  was  accomplished,  for 
he  left  the  island  Monday  morning  accompanied  by 
Mr.  Boyd,  and  the  lads  and  Mr.  Floyd  were  to 
follow  as  soon  as  the  house  could  be  closed  up  and 
the  household  matters  adjusted. 

This  was  quite  an  undertaking,  however,  since 
everything  was  to  be  disposed  of  but  the  Sea 
"Witch,  for  it  was  now  evident  that  the  young  firm 
of  Fox  Island  had  closed  up  their  business  for  good, 
and  the  young  partners  were  to  enter  upon  an  alto- 
gether different  career.  Still,  the  same  elements  of 
character — patience,  industry,  energy  and  quickness 
to  know  and  use  an  opportunity — which  had  made 
the  firm  a  success,  we  may  be  sure  would  mark  their 
new  career. 

That  it  was  these  elements  that  had  largely  con- 
tributed to  the  lads'  success  is  clearly  apparent ;  for 
those  who  succeeded  to  their  business  under  even 
more  favorable  auspices  soon  abandoned  it,  and 
to-day  only  the  tumble-down  wharf,  the  half-filled 
cellar-way,  and    the    moss-grown   well,   mark  the 


^56  liUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

place  where  Budd  and  his  partner  had  their  island 
home. 

But  they,  grown  now  to  manhood,  and  busy  with 
the  cares  of  their  professional  lives,  think  often  of 
the  summer  when  first  they  met,  and  talk  over  the 
experiences  under  which  they  learned  some  of  their 
most  valuable  lessons  and  triumphed  over  burdens 
that  seemed  too  great  to  bear. 


BUDD  BOYD S  TRIUMPB.  267 


THE  BEAR  AND  THE  BOMB  SHELL. 


DURING  the  early  months  of  the  California  gold 
fever  the  brig  Janet  entered  the  harbor  of 
San  Francisco.  Her  freight  was  intended  to  supply 
the  wants  of  the  diggers,  and  it  was  the  most  extra- 
ordinary cargo  that  was  ever  put  into  the  hold  of 
any  seagoing  vessel,  except,  indeed,  those  vessels 
which  sailed  to  California  at  this  particular  time. 

There  were  pickaxes  and  shovels,  powder  and 
boots,  needles  and  coffee,  spikes  and  tea,  horseshoes 
and  tobacco;  there  were  wooden  houses  ready  to  be 
put  up;  canvas  tents  and  mattresses;  there  were 
jackknives,  hatchets,  revolvers,  rifles,  socks,  books, 
hats,  clothes,  barrels  of  flour,  soap,  coal,  towels, 
sugar,  potatoes,  grindstones,  locks,  quack  medicines, 
old  periodicals,  cheap  watches,  buttons,  cotton, 
glass,  tape,  bottles,  jewsharps,  nails,  rubbers ;  and 
everything  else  that  the  imaginative  mind  of  a 
wild  speculator  could  possibly  think  of  as  being 
likely  to  sell  to  a  young  and  rich  but  destitute 
community. 

Whether  the  speculation  was  successful  or  not,  is 


258  BUDD  BOYD'S  TttlUMPH. 

no  business  of  ours.  My  business  is  with  Tom  Allan, 
the  cabin  boy  of  the  Janet. 

The  Janet  took  out  about  fifty  passengers  on 
their  way  to  the  gold  diggings.  Allan  was  a  stout 
lad  of  about  seventeen.  "When  he  left  home  he  had 
no  idea  of  digging  gold,  but  the  talk  of  the  passen- 
gers on  the  way  out  fairly  turned  the  heads  of  the 
crew  of  the  Janet,  and  even  of  the  officers,  so  that 
when  the  brig  reached  San  Francisco,  and  the  pas- 
sengers landed,  the  entire  crew,  together  with  the 
cook,  the  second  mate,  and  even  the  first  mate, 
landed  with  them. 

The  captain  was  left  alone  with  the  cabin  boy. 
The  captain  was  in  despair.  He  couldn't  get  any- 
body to  unload  his  vessel.  He  couldn't  get  any  crew 
to  take  her  away.  And  so  the  end  of  it  was  that 
Allan  yielded  to  the  universal  feehng  and  took  his 
departure  from  the  ship. 

For  about  a  year  he  led  a  queer  kind  of  a  life. 
He  worked  at  various  diggings  without  much 
success,  until  at  length  he  got  possession  of  a 
claim  all  to  himself,  in  a  remote  locality,  which 
he  proceeded  to  work  at  with  desperate  determi- 
nation. 

He  erected  a  little  hut,  and  made  himself  as  com- 
fortable as  ])ossible,  and  set  to  work  vigorously,  and 
soon  found,  to  his  great  delight,  that  the  claim  was 
one  of  unusual  richness. 

At  last,  then,  after  more  than  a  year  of  adverse 
fortune,  he  saw  his  way  to  success. 

One  day  he  was  hard  at  work.     He  had  found  a 


SUDD  BOYb'^  TRTUMPU.  259 

rich  vein  of  quartz  in  which  the  gold  was  very  plen- 
tiful, so  much  so,  indeed,  that  it  was  possible  for 
him  to  extract  it  by  his  own  clumsy  tools  without 
having  recourse  to  a  crushing  mill. 

He  had  that  day  been  drilling  a  hole  to  make 
read}"  for  a  blast,  and  was  working  away  diligently 
with  his  drill.  The  hole  was  just  finished,  when 
suddenly  he  was  startled  by  a  deep  and  formidable 
growl  close  behind  him. 

So  great  was  the  shock  of  this  unexpected  inter- 
ruption, that  the  drill  dropped  from  his  hands,  and 
he  turned  around  in  horror.  That  horror  was 
increased  by  the  sight  that  he  saw.  For  there,  not 
a  dozen  yards  away,  was  a  monstrous  grizzly  bear 
— one  of  the  largest  of  his  species,  crouching  low, 
and  regarding  him  with  eyes  that  gleamed  like  coals 
of  fire. 

One  look  was  enough.  The  next  instant,  with- 
out stopping  to  take  a  second  glance,  Allan  darted 
off  with  the  mad  speed  of  one  who  is  running 
for  life,  while  the  huge  bear  came  springing  after 
him. 

Such  a  race  as  that,  if  prolonged,  could  have  had 
but  one  termination;  and  this  Allan  knew  but  too 
well. 

As  he  ran,  therefore,  he  looked  all  around  to  see 
if  there  was  any  chance  of  escape.  But  there  was 
none  Avhatever.  There  was  no  high  cliff  up  which 
he  might  climb — no  narrow  crevice  in  the  rocks 
where  he  might  seek  shelter. 

The  country  was  a  barren  one,  with  rocks  of  dif- 


260  BUDD  BOTD'S  TRTtTMPJf. 

ferent  sizes  scattered  about,  here  and  there.  Among 
these  there  did  not  appear  anything  that  offered  a 
hope  of  escape  from  the  ravening  monster  that  pur- 
sued him. 

At  last,  as  he  looked  despairingly  around,  he  saw 
one  thing  which  offered  a  faint  prospect  of  escape. 
It  was  an  enormous  granite  boulder  which  arose 
in  the  midst  of  the  plain,  surrounded  by  smaller 
boulders. 

This  one  was  about  thirty  feet  high,  and  its  sides 
were  smooth  and  convex.  In  front  of  this  grew  a 
slender  tree,  and  Allan  thought  that  if  he  could  climb 
the  tree,  he  might  be  able  to  get  upon  the  boulder 
and  set  his  enemy  at  defiance. 

There  was  no  time  to  lose,  so  he  at  once  acted 
upon  this  idea.  He  rushed  to  the  tree,  seizing  it 
with  the  grasp  of  despair,  and  by  vigorous  exertions 
climbed  to  the  top. 

Here  he  was  on  a  level  with  the  top  of  the  gran- 
ite boulder,  and  was  able,  by  a  violent  effort,  to 
get  upon  it.  The  top  of  the  boulder  was  flat,  and 
it  had  been  roughened  and  scarred  and  worn  by 
the  storms  of  centuries,  so  that  Allan  found  a  firm 
foothold. 

The  moment  that  he  reached  this  place  of  refuge 
he  turned  to  look  at  his  enemy. 

The  grizzly  bear  was  close  behind  him,  and  as  Al- 
lan turned  he  beheld  him  grasping  the  tree  and  try- 
ing to  climb.  But  the  tree  was  too  slender  for  the 
enormous  limbs  of  the  bear.  He  could  not  grasp  it 
firmly.     As   the   bear   began   to   perceive   this,  he 


BUDD  BOTJyS  TRIUMPH.  261 

growled  wrathfully  and  ominously,  and  finally  de- 
sisted from  the  attempt. 

But  he  did  not  desist  from  his  pursuit.  On  the 
contrary  he  drew  back  a  few  feet,  and  sitting  on 
his  hind  quarters,  he  regarded  Allan  with  a  look 
of  grim  and  patient  watchfulness  that  was  terrible 
to  encounter. 

On  finding  that  the  bear  could  not  climb  the  tree, 
Allan  experienced  a  feeling  of  relief  so  great  that 
his  fear  and  despair  departed.  He  accordingly 
looked  down  calmly  upon  his  enemy,  and  expected 
that  in  a  short  time  he  would  give  up  his  pursuit 
and  go  awa3\  But  the  bear  did  nothing  of  the 
kind.  As  long  as  Allan  looked  at  him,  he  looked 
at  Allan,  and  showed  a  power  of  patient  watch- 
fulness tliat  was  in  the  highest  degree  creditable 
to  his  bearship,  but  in  the  last  degree  distressing  to 
Allan. 

Hours  passed,  and  Allan  gave  up  all  ideas  of 
escape  for  that  night.  He  therefore  prepaj'ed  to 
pass  the  night  as  best  he  could.  After  all  it  Ivas  not 
uncomfortable.  The  rock  was  hard,  it  is  true,  but 
Allan's  California  life  had  habituated  him  to  hard 
beds,  so  that  he  could  sleep  even  here.  And  sleep 
he  did.  Slumber  came  over  him  after  sunset,  and  he 
slept  on  as  only  a  California  miner  can,  until  some 
time  after  sunrise. 

On  awaking  his  first  thoughts  ^vere  about  his 
enemy.  Slowly  and  cautiously  he  raised  his  head 
and  looked  down.  That  one  short  glance  was 
enough.     For  there,  in   the  same  place,  lay    the 


262  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

grizzly  bear,  witli  his  head  upraised  in  such  a  way 
that  his  fierce,  keen  eyes  encountered  those  of  Allan 
as  he  looked  anxiously  down.  At  this  sight  Allan 
sank  back,  and  a  feeling  of  utter  despair  came  over 
him. 

He  was  both  hungry  and  thirst3^  His  bones  also 
were  sore  from  a  sleep  on  this  rough  resting  place, 
and  the  misery  of  his  confinement  affected  his  mind. 
But  what  could  he  do  ?  Again  and  again  the  ques- 
tion occurred,  What  could  he  do  ? 

In  his  despair  there  at  last  came  to  him  one   idea 
which  held  out  to  him  a  chance  of  escape.     It  was' 
a  very  original  idea,  and  could  only  have  occurred 
to  one  like  him  in  his  last  extremity. 

He  had  no  arms,  but  he  had  his  horn  full  of  blast- 
ing powder,  and  in  his  pockets  he  had  also  his  blast- 
ing fuse.     He  had  matches  also. 

jS^ow,  though  he  had  no  firearms,  yet  in  these  he 
had  the  material  by  which  firearms  gave  all  their 
efficiency.  Necessity  is  the  mother  of  invention, 
and  so  Allan's  dire  necessity  roused  all  the  inven- 
tive faculty  of  his  mind. 

It  was  a  plan  which  could  only  be  tried  once.  If 
it  failed  he  was  lost ;  if  it  succeeded  he  was  saved. 
He  could  not  wait ;  so  he  at  once  prepared  to  put 
his  plan  in  execution. 

He  took  his  powder-horn,  filled  as  it  was  with 
blasting  powder,  and  in  this  he  inserted  a  piece  of 
blasting  fuse. 

It  thus  became  a  bomb  shell,  roughly  made,  it  is 
true,  yet  none  the  less  effective  for  all  that.    Then 


% 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  263 

he  took  off  his  shirt,  and  tearing  it  up  into  small 
ribbons,  h%  formed  a  long  line.  Fastening  this 
to  the  horn  he  lighted  the  fuse,  and  then  slowly 
lowered  it. 

At  this  extraordinary  proceeding,  all  the  well- 
known  curiosity  of  the  bear  was  aroused.  He 
watched  the  horn  solemnly,  as  it  desce'Jided,  and 
then  as  it  came  low  down,  he  walked  up  to  it  and 
sraelled  it. 

The  smell  of  the  burning  fuse  was  offensive,  and 
he  expressed  his  disgust  by  a  low  growl. 

At  last  the  horn  lay  on  the  ground. 

The  bear  was  both  puzzled  and  offended.  He  put 
his  nose  close  down  to  it,  and  snuffed  again  and 
again  at  the  butt  of  the  horn.  From  above  Allan 
watched  with  a  quick-beating  heart. 

Suddenly  there  rang  out  a  tremendous  explosion, 
and  a  great  cloud  of  smoke  rolled  up,  hiding  every- 
thing from  view.  Allan  peered  cautiously  through 
this,  but  could  see  nothing  for  a  long  time. 

But  though  nothing  met  his  eyes,  his  ears  were 
aware  of  a  chaos  of  sounds — fierce  growls  of  rage 
and  pain — howls,  shrieks  and  yells,  all  of  which 
proved  plainly  that  very  severe  damage  had  been 
done  to  somebody. 

At  last  the  smoke  cleared  away,  and  then  Allan 
saw  the  bear.  From  his  head,  and  breast,  and  fore- 
paws  the  hair  was  all  singed  off ;  the  skin  was  black- 
ened to  the  hue  of  soot ;  his  flery  eyes  gleamed  no 
more ;  they  were  tight  shut,  and  with  growls .  of 
agony  the  monster  rushed  frantically  about,  tossing, 


364  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

and  jumping,  and  rolling  over  and  over.  The  ex- 
plosion had  blinded  him,  and  the  fierce  animal,  in 
his  blindness,  presented  a  spectacle  that  was  terrible 
to  witness. 

In  his  wild  leaps  and  tumbles  he  went  about 
in  all  directions,  not  knowing  where.  His  agony- 
had  driven  from  him  all  thoughts  of  his  late  enemy. 

Allan  now  sprang  to  the  tree  and  quickly  de- 
scended. He  ran  to  his  hut  and  seized  his  rifle  and 
revolver.  Then  he  hurried  back.  The  bear  was 
still  writhing  and  rolling  about  in  his  blindness. 
One  well  directed  shot,  however,  put  an  end  to  the 
monster's  sufferings. 

Allan  did  not  care  about  remaining  much  longer 
in  this  place,  but  soon  after  he  returned  to  San 
Francisco,  bringing  with  him  a  sufficient  amount  of 
gold  to  satisfy  his  wishes,  and  with  this  he  brought 
the  skin  of  the  grizzly  bear. 


• 


BUDD  B07DS  TRIUMPH.  265 


IT  WAS  about  the  middle  of  March.  We  were 
fishing  up  at  the  Sagamore  Pond — Rod 
Nichols  and  myself;  fishing  through  the  ice  for 
pickerel. 

When  the  country  in  this  part  of  Maine  was  first 
settled,  the  Sagamore,  as  well  as  all  the  other  ponds 
and  lakes,  abounded  Avith  lake  trout,  or,  as  they 
were  then  called,  togue  trout — great,  broad-backed 
fellows,  weighing  from  twelve  to  twenty  pounds. 
But  it  was  foolishly  supposed  by  the  early  settlers 
that  it  would  be  better  to  have  pickerel  instead  of 
trout  in  these  waters.  So  pickerel  were  put  into 
nearly  every  pond  and  lake  in  this  section.  They 
are  the  most  voracious  of  fish,  very  strong  and 
savage,  and  soon  destroyed  the  trout. 

Those  of  the  Sagamore  are  larger  than  the  pick- 
erel in  most  of  the  ponds.  It  takes  a  strong  line  to 
get  them  out  of  the  water.  Through  a  hole  in  the 
ice  this  is  more  easily  done ;  but  it  is  no  small  job  to 
cut  such  a  hole  when  the  ice  is  two  feet  thick.   Rod 


266  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

and  I  were  an  hour  and  a  half  hacking  ours  with  a 
hatchet,  that  afternoon. 

It  was  not  far  from,  the  shore — eight  or  ten  rods, 
])erhaps — but  between  us  and  the  bank  there  was  a 
wide,  open  place,  worn  away,  or  thawed,  by  a 
"springhole"  along  the  shore.  The  afternoon  sun- 
beams, falling  on  the  glass-bright  surface,  were 
reflected  under  the  ice,  and  lighted  up  the  water  as 
far  out  as  where  we  had  made  our  hole.  We  could 
thus  see  all  that  was  going  on  under  us,  though  the 
water  was  nearly  twenty  feet  deep. 

We  had  fished  in  this  place  before,  and  knew  how 
to  take  advantage  of  this  clear  water,  for  it's  always 
pleasant  to  see  what  one's  about.  It  is  fully  half 
the  sport  to  see  the  fish  biting. 

After  skimming  our  hole,  we  dropped  in  a  hook 
baited  with  a  shiner — we  had  a  jug  full  of  them — 
and  waited  for  a  bite;  watched  and  waited  patiently 
and  confidently,  but  it  didn't  come.  Not  a  fish 
could  be  seen  in  all  the  clear  depths  beneath. 
This  was  unusual,  as  well  as  vexatious,  for  the 
Sagamore  was  known  to  be  well  stocked  with  pick- 
erel, and  they  generally  took  the  hook  readily.  But 
an  hour  passed  without  so  much  as  a  nibble  at  our 
bait. 

It  was  a  fine,  sunny  afternoon-.  Everything  was 
still.  There  was  not  even  the  cawing  of  crows  to 
be  heard.  Presently,  looking  across  to  the  shore, 
we  saw  a  large  black  creature  watching  us  from  an 
old  pine  stump,  that  was  some  four  or  five  rods  from 
the  water. 


% 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  267 

"Fisher-cat,  isn't  it?"  said  Eod. 

It  did  look  like  one,  certainly.  It  was  black,  and 
about  the  same  size. 

"  Suppose  he'd  show  fight  if  we  should  go  round 
there  ?"  continued  Rod,  looking  leisurely  for  the 
hatchet. 

Poor  success  fishing  had  made  him  a  little  pug- 
nacious, I  suppose;  and  a  scrimmage  with  a  fisher- 
cat,  or  carcajoe,  when  3'ou  can  get  one  to  face  about, 
isn't  bad  fun  for  those  who  enjoy  such  sport,  and 
are  willing  to  run  the  risk  of  getting  scratched  and 
bitten. 

In  explanation,  I  should  say  that  the  "  fisher-cat " 
is  a  member  of  the  weasel  family.  Naturalists  call 
it  the  Mustela  Canadensis,  or  Canada  weasel ;  a 
pretty  big  weasel,  to  be  sure.  Hunters  and  trappers 
hate  it  most  heartily,  for  it  will  follow  them  all  day 
on  their  rounds,  taking  the  bait  out  of  their  traps  as 
fast  as  they  can  set  them. 

Well,  if  we  could  not  catch  any  pickerel,  perhaps 
a  little  fracas  with  Mr.  Snarly-face,  over  there, 
would  be  the  next  best  thing ;  and  I  was  just  draw- 
ing up  my  line,  when  there  came  a  heavy  tug  at 
the  bait,  nearly  jerking  the  line  from  ray  hands. 
There  was  not  only  one  tug,  but  a  series  of  tugs  and 
rushes  to  and  fro,  making  the  water  fairly  boil  in 
the  hole. 

I  had  hooked  a  big  one,  and  he  was  testing  the 
line  to  the  utmost,  and  rasping  it  across  the  sharp 
edges  of  the  ice.  Holding  it  steadily,  however, 
the  struggle  gradually  ceased,  and  looking   down 


268  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

into  the  water,  we  saw  a  noble  fellow,  slowly 
waving  his  fins  on  the  sand,  at  the  bottom  of  the 
pond. 

"  Isn't  he  a  thumper !"  exclaimed  Kod.  "  Five 
or  six  pounds,  certain  !     Fish  enough  for  one  day." 

He  had  become  pretty  docile,  and  I  had  drawn 
him  up  within  six  or  seven  feet  of  the  surface,  when, 
with  a  sudden  plunge,  a  long,  dark  animal  darted 
through  the  water,  and  seizing  the  fish,  passed 
out  of  sight  under  the  ice,  like  a  black  streak. 
I  pulled  sharply  at  the  line,  once,  twice — then  it 
snapped. 

Here  was  a  surprise. 

"  What  on  earth  was  that  ?"  cried  Rod. 

But  there  was  nothing  further  to  be  seen.  A 
few  bubbles  came  struggling  up  through  the  water, 
but  the  creature  had  gone,  and  so  had  the  fish. 

"It  couldn't  have  been  that  lisher-cat,"  said 
Rod. 

"  No,  indeed !  Who  ever  heard  of  a  fisher- 
cat,  or  any  other  cat,  swimming  ten  rods  under 
water !" 

"  But  he  is  gone  from  the  stump." 

"  Well,  let  him  go.     That  wasn't  him." 

"What  was  it,  then?" 

That  was  a  question  easier  asked  than  answered. 
We  were  fairly  "  stuck,"  as  Rod  expressed  it,  and 
stood  staring  into  the  hole.  Suddenly  there  was  a 
wavy  motion,  deep  down,  bolow  the  surface,  aud  we 
saw  the  creature  shoot  back,  by  the  hole,  with  the 
fish  in  his  mouth.     We  had  just  a  dim,  refractive 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRWMPB.  ^69 

glimpse,  and  he  had  passed,  going  toward  the  shore. 
We  looked  in  that  direction,  and  a  few  seconds 
after,  saw  a  flat,  black  head  pop  up  a  moment  into 
sight  from  the  open  water,  and,  then  it  disappeared. 
We  watched  for  some  minutes,  but  it  did  not  come 
up  again. 

"  Rather  a  strange  performance,  anyhow,"  mut- 
tered Rod. 

"  But  let's  go  round  to  the  shore,  and  see  if  we 
can  find  the  fisher." 

Going  to  the  shore,  we  saw  that  the  bank  shelved 
off  abruptly  into  deep  water;  and  in  one  place  it 
was  worn  smooth,  and  was  icy,  as  if  some  animal 
had  been  sliding  from  it  down  into  the  pond.  Other 
than  this  there  were  no  traces. 

So,  first  cutting  a  couple  of  stout  clubs,  we  went 
to  the  pine  stump,  where  we  had  seen  what  we  had 
taken  for  a  fisher.  He  was  gone ;  but  we  dis- 
covered a  hole  in  the  top  of  the  stump,  that  went 
down  under'  the  ground,  and  looking  into  it  saw  a 
broad,  black  muzzle,  and  a  pair  of  wicked  little  eyes 
gleaming  up  at  us. 

"  Hollo  !"  cried  Rod,  "  here  he  is ;"  thrusting  in 
his  stick.     The  head  vanished. 

"  But  that's  no  fisher ;  their  noses  do  not  look 
like  that.  It  was  too  big  and  hlnnt.  I'll  tell  you 
what,"  exclaimed  he  suddenly ;  "  it's  an  otter ! 
That  w^as  one  out  in  the  pond,  too.  Did  you  ever 
see  one  ?" 

"Ko." 

"  Nor  I ;  but  I've  heard  old  Hughy  Clives  tell 
about  them  J  and  that's  just  what  this  is." 


370  BUDD  BOYD' 8  TRIUMPH. 

"  What  about  them  ?    Will  they  fight  much  ?" 

"  Fight  when  cornered,  Ilughy  says,  like  young 
tigers,  too.  Dogs  are  no  match  for  them.  But  their 
fur's  valuable." 

"That's  so.     We  must  get  this  one  if  we  can," 

"  There  may  be  more  than  one.  They  live  two 
and  three  together,  sometimes,  Ilughy  said,  in 
burrows,  opening  under  water.  This  couldn't 
be  the  one  that  stole  our  fish,  either.  It  might 
liave  been  though ;  for  this  hole  probably  leads 
out  into  the  water,  under  the  bank.  Let's  see  if  it 
doesn't." 

We  ran  to  the  edge  and  looked  over.  The  water 
was  six  or  seven  feet  deep. 

"  Stamp  on  the  ground,"  said  I. 

Rod  did  so ;  and  a  moment  after  I  saw  a  long, 
slim  animal  glide  out  from  under  the  bank  and  dart 
off  beneath  the  ice — then  another. 

"  Yes,  here  he  is  ;  two  of  them." 

They  didn't  come  up  in  the  open  water,  but 
must  have  gone  off  under  the  ice.  I  suppose 
there  were  air-holes  through  it,  where  they  came  up 
to  breathe. 

They  were  otters ;  no  doubt  of  it.  But  how  to 
catch  them ;  that  was  the  next  question. 

"  Ilughy  spoke  of  setting  traps  for  them,"  said 
Rod. 

"  So  we  can !  Your  father's  old  bear-trap !  Set  it 
dowrr  under  the  bank  here,  where  their  burrow  opens 
out  into  the  water." 

"  Agreed." 


BUDb  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  271 

And  home  we  went  after  the  trap.  It  was  nearly 
three  miles,  but  we  were  soon  there,  and  took  the 
trap  from  the  garret,  where  it  had  been  resting  for 
a  dozen  years.  It  was  heavy,  and  must  have 
weighed  sixty  or  seventy  pounds.  But  we  hung  it 
on  a  pole,  and  resting  the  ends  of  the  pole  on  our 
shoulders,  started  for  the  pond  ;  and  a  fine  sweat  it 
gave  us  before  we  reached  our  destination.- 

The  next  thing  was  to  set  it.  The  springs  were 
so  rusty  and  stiff  that  we  had  to  use  a  lever  to  bend 
them,  and  we  came  near  getting  caught  in  it  once 
or  twice ;  but  it  was  set  properly  at  last,  and  sinking 
it  at  the  entrance  of  the  burrow  we  chained  it  to  an 
old  root. 

This  done,  we  filled  in  stones,  and  stopped  the 
hole  in  the  stump  at  the  upper  end  of  the  den,  to 
prevent  the  otters  from  getting,  out  there.  Then 
we  went  home,  for  it  was  considerably  after  sunset. 
We  had  our  trap  on  their  doorstep,  as  Rod  said ; 
they  could  neither  go  in  nor  out  without  climbing 
over  it. 

The  next  afternoon  we  went  to  see  what  success 
attended  our  efforts.  There  was  nothing  stirring 
about  the  stump,  and  creeping  cautiously  down  the 
bank,  we  looked  over.  The  trap  had  been  sprung 
and  drawn  up  into  the  burrow,  partly  out  of  sight. 
Pulling  it  out  by  the  chain,  sure  enough,  there  was 
a  long,  sleek,  black  fellow  in  it  fast  by  one  of  his 
chubby  legs.     But  he  was  quite  dead — drowned. 

The  great  weight  of  the  trap  had  prevented  his 
coming  to   the   surface.     And   although   an    otter 


272  BUDD  BOTl)'S  TRIUMPE. 

can  remain  under  water  for  nearly  two  minutes, 
yet  at  the  end  of  that  time  he  must  come  to  the 
surface,  like  any  air-breathing  animal,  or  be  suf- 
focated. 

We  were  jubilant.  Taking  him  out,  we  care- 
fully replaced  the  trap  in  its  old  position  and 
went  home  with  our  game,  where,  calling  in  the 
assistance  and  advice  of  old  Hughy,  we  pro- 
ceeded to  take  off  the  skin  according  to  standard 
rules. 

The  fur  wms  of  a  light  brown  color,  thickly  inter- 
spersed with  black  hairs,  which  gives  the  animal 
at  a  little  distance  the  appearance  of  being  wholly 
black.  The  ears  were  small  and  far  apart,  and  the 
feet  short  and  webbed  like  a  goose.  The  entire 
length  of  the  animal,  including  its  tail,  was  nearly 
five  feet ;  but  Hughy  thought  this  one  rather  above 
the  average  size. 

The  next  day  we  caught  another  otter — a  smaller 
one ;  and  about  a  fortnight  after,  a  third  met  his 
fate  in  the  jaws  of  the  old  trap. 

We  received  twelve  dollars  apiece  for  these  skins, 
and  felt  very  well  satisfied  with  our  afternoon's 
sport  at  the  Sagamore. 


B  UDD  BO  YD  S  TRIUMPU.  273 


HOW  JACK  WENT  TIGER-HUNTING. 


JACK  was  reading  Du  Chaillu.  He  spent  a  good 
deal  more  time  that  night  ^^er  Du  Chaillu  than 
over  his  Latin. 

His  mother  and  Bessy  were  seated  by  the  fire, 
and  presently  he  came  over  and  turned  his  back  to 
the  grate,  putting  his  hands  behind  hira,  with  a 
swaggering  way  he  had. 

"  I've  got  an  idea,  mother  !"  he  said. 

"  I'm  glad  of  that,"  said  Bessy,  under  her  breath. 
Mrs.  Leigh  shook  her  head  at  her. 

"  Well,  my  son  ?" 

"  Du  Chaillu's  in  this  country,  you  know  ?"  Jack's 
face  was  red,  and  his  voice  like  a  trumpet,  from 
excitement. 

"  I  believe  he  is." 

"  Oh,  I  know  it,  ma'am  !  I  saw  in  the  paper  he  was 
lecturing  in  New  York.  And  he's  going  back  to 
Africa  next  fall.  And  I — I've  made  up  my  mind  to 
go  with  him !" 

Bessy  stared. 

"  To  Africa  ?"  said  Mrs.  Leigh,  folding  her  hem. 


274  B^DD  SOTB'S  TRIUMPH. 

"  Yesj  mother."  Jack  was  a  little  clamped  to  fiml 
his  views  received  so  quietly. 

"  That  is,  with  your  permission.  But  you  see  all 
through  this  book  he  is  inviting  the  boys  to  go.  He 
was  but  a  lad  when  he  killed  his  first  lion.  He 
says  nothing  would  delight  him  more  than  to  take 
some  fine  courageous  fellow  into  the  jungle,  and 
teach  him  how  to  trap  elephants  and  hunt  tigers. 
Oh,  if  I  could  wing  a  tiger  with  my  gun !" 

"  Will  you  thread  my  needle,  Bessy  ?  I  think  if 
you  wait,  you  will  be  a  better  shot  in  a  year  or  two, 
probably.  Jack."       * 

"  You  think  I  couldn't  stand  it,"  blustered  Jack. 
"Why,  I've  got  muscles  on  me  like  iron,  I  tell 
you,  nothing  would  please  me  better  than  footing 
it  through  the  jungle  for  months,  eating  leopard 
and  monkey  steaks,  and  fighting  gorillas.  Those 
negroes  were  poor  stuff  for  hunters,  I  think ! 
Used  to  give  out  in  a  week  or  two.  So  did  Du 
Chaillu.  Why,  I  could  go  on  for  months,  and  never 
complain." 

"  Who  was  that  whining  over  his  grammar, 
awhile  ago  ?"  asked  his  sister. 

"  That's  a  very  different  matter,"  stammered  Jack 
ansrrilv.  "  What  kind  of  sense  is  there  in  amaha — 
his — bus!  That's  stuff!  H  I  had  a  chance  with  my 
gun  now,  at  a  lion,  say " 

"  If  you  cannot  conquer  nouns  and  verbs,  Jack," 
said  Mrs.  Leigh,  "  I  am  not  afraid  for  the  wild 
beasts." 

"  As  for  Bess,  she  needn't  laugh,"  growled  Jack. 


BtDD  SOTD'S  'rmVMPlI.  2% 

"  "What  does  a  girl  know,  with  her  curls,  and  paniers, 
and  folderols  ?  She  never  even  read  Du  Chaillu  ;" 
and  he  stamped  into  the  dining-room  and  began  to 
kick  off  his  boots. 

"  You  should  not  tease  your  brother,  Bessy." 

Bessy  laughed.  She  was  a  fat,  pretty,  good-tem- 
pered girl,  very  fond  of  Jack  and  just  as  fond  of 
squabbling  with  him. 

"  He  is  such  a  fellow  to  brag,  mamma.  I^ow  I 
know  he'll  be  at  it  again.     There  he  comes." 

Jack  came  in  and  leaned  with  his  elbows  on  the 
table,  watching  his  mother  and  thinking. 

"  Now  Du  Cliaillu  and  those  fellows,"  he  broke 
out,  "  had  a  wa}'^  of  skulking  behind  trees  and 
shooting  at  animals  from  ambush.  I  don't  approve 
of  that.  I  would  not  do  that.  The  way  to  meet  a 
wild  beast  is  to  fix  your  eye  on  him  boldly.  Look 
him  straight  in  the  eye.  What  are  you  laughing  at, 
Bess?  I  tell  you  scientific  men  say  there's  nothing 
like  the  power  of  the  human  e3'^e.  Then  when  I  had 
him  fixed,  I'd  take  aim  deliberately  and  fire.  I'd 
have  him  at  an  advantage,  you  see.  Mother,  there's 
a  fire !  I  hear  the  bells  !"    * 

"  Yes." 

"  Can  I  go  ?  Just  to  see  where  it  is  ?  Only  to  the 
corner?  I  won't  go  a  step  beyond  the  corner,  I 
promise  you." 

"  Very  well.  Jack,  I  trust  you."    • 

Jack's  word,  when  he  gave  it,  Avas  as  good  as  his 
oath,  and  although  the  street  was  quite  dark,  yet  as 
they  lived  in  a  quiet  part  of  the  city  his  mother  saw 
him  go  without  fear. 


2%  BUDD  BOYD'S  TUlUMPfr. 

There  was  a  good  deal  of  noise  and  confusion 
outside.  An  engine  ran  past  and  men  shouting; 
but  in  half  an  hour  Mrs.  Leigh  and  Bessy  heard 
Jack  coming  leisurely  up  the  steps,  whistling  and 
talking. 

"  Here,  sir !  Wheet !  wheet !  This  way.  In 
with  you.  Gracious,  mother,  how  dark  this  hall  is  ! 
"Why  don't  Ann  ?  Wheet — wheet !  There !"  opening 
the  back  door,  "  stay  there  till  morning."  He 
shut  and  locked  the  door  again  and  came  into  the 
parlor. 

"'T\A"asn't  much  of  a  fire — near  two  miles  off — 
somewhere  about  the  Northern  mills." 

"There  was  great  confusion,"  said  Mrs.  Leigh. 

"  There  always  is.  Now  if  I  was  the  captain  of  a 
fire  company,  I'd  manage  differently.  I'd  say  to  this 
man,  go  here,  and  to  that  man,  go  there,  and  they 
should  not  dare  to  utter  a  word.  Then  the  fires 
would  be  put  out." 

"  Who  was  that  in  the  hall,  Jack  ?"  inquired 
Bessy. 

"  A  big  dog ;  a  most  tremendous  fellow.  He 
came  running  alongside  of  me  on  the  street,  and 
turned  up  the  steps  as  I  did.  Somebody's  lost  him, 
I  suppose.  I  put  him  in  the  yard  till  daylight,  and 
then  I  can  see  him  and  look  up  his  owner." 

"  Was  he  a  pretty  dog  ?"  said  Bess  eagerly. 

"  How  could  I  tell  ?  I  told  you  I  didn't  see  him. 
As  he  brushed  by  me,  I  felt  that  he  was  a  strapping 
fellow.     The  hall's  as  dark  as  pitch." 

"  You  didn't  fix  him  with  your  e3'e,  then  V 


BUDD  BOTJJ'S  TRIUMPH.  ^t^. 

Jack  said  nothing,  but  lighted  iiis  candle  and  went 
to  bed. 

The  next  morning  he  was  awakened  by  a 
thumping  at  the  door,  and  in  rushed  Bessy,  wild 
with  excitement,  the  morning  newspaper  in  her 
hand. 

"  O,  Jack,  listen  to  this  !"  jumping  on  the  bed  and 
beginning  to  read  breathlessly  : 

"Escape  of  Wild  Animals. — The  fire  of  last  night 
communicated  Avith  the  stables  where  the  animals 
connected  with  Drivers'  Menagerie  were  stored  for 
the  winter,  and  several  of  them  escaped.  The}'' 
were  promptly  pursued  and  captured,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  Bengal  tiger,  that  was  last  seen  mak- 
ing its  way  toward  the  southern  part  of  the  city. 
At  the  hour  of  our  going  to  press  no  traces  have 
been  found  of  the  animal." 

Bessy  laid  down  the  paper.  Her  eyes  were  set 
deeper  in  her  head  than  usual,  and  they  burned 
like  coals.  "  Jack !"  she  gasped,  "  what  do  you 
think  ?" 

Jack's  face,  and  neck,  and  very  ears  were  scarlet. 
He  stammered,  and  did  nol^seem  nearly  so  tumultu- 
ous as  usual. 

"  I  think  it's  in  our  back  yard,"  he  said,  at  last. 
"  I  wish  you'd  get  out  of  this,  Bessy.  I'll — I'll  get 
up  and  call  a  policeman." 

"  A  policeman  !  What  on  earth  can  he  do  with  a 
tiger  ?"  cried  Bessy,  in  discomfiture.  "  Why,  I 
thought  for  sure.  Jack,  you'd  fix  him  with  your  eye; 
or  wing  him.  Sha'n't  I  bring  you  your  gun  to  wing 
him?" 


3f8  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

"  Perhaps  I  will,"  said  Jack  loftily.  "  But  I  must 
be  dressed  first." 

Bessy  went  out,  but  stood  just  outside  of  the 
door,  trembling  and  quaking,  her  hand  on  the 
knob.  Her  mother  had  gone  out  early.  Usually  she 
had  very  little  dependence  on  Jack,  or  his  bravery, 
but  anything  in  the  shape  of  man  or  boy  is  a  comfort 
to  a  frightened  woman,  and  all  of  Jack's  boasting 
came  back  soothingly  now  to  Bessy.  In  half  a 
minute  Jack  had  scrambled  into  his  clothes  and  was 
out. 

"•  Have  you  seen  it  ?"     Where  is  it  ?" 

"  It's  in  the  coal-shed  ;  in  the  darkest  end.  Ann's 
got  the  back  doors  tight  locked  and  bolted,  and  she's 
up  in  bed  with  the  pillow  over  her  head.  There's 
your  gun.  Jack." 

Jack  took  the  gun,  and  still  in  his  stocking  feet, 
went  on  tiptoe  to  reconnoiter.  From  the  second- 
story  window  he  saw  that  the  yard  was  quite 
clear.  Just  by  the  house  stood  the  coal-shed, 
dingy  and  dirty  enough  at  ordinary  times,  but  now 
covered  with  the  mystery  and  horror  of  an  African 
jungle. 

"  You  think  it's  in  there,  do  you  ?"  he  said,  under 
his  breath. 

"  Oh,  Ann  heard  it !  Such  a  horrible  roar  !  Up 
in  the  very  back  part..  How  will  you  get  at  it  to 
shoot  it  ?" 

"  I'll  call  in  the  police  as  soon  as  I'm  sure  it's 
the  tiger.     If  it  was  in  the  jungle  I'd  face  it.     But 


BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  27^ 

such  animals  are  always  doubly  furious  for  being 
confined." 

"  There's  a  knot  hole  in  the  shed.  You  can  peep, 
Jack.    He  won't  see  you." 

But  Jack  was  growing  unaccountably  pale, 
and  his  teeth  were  chattering.  "I'd — I'd  rather 
not  open  the  door — on  your  account,  Bess.  He 
might  run  in," 

"  Fire  your  gun  and  he'll  dash  out  into  the  yard  !" 
cried  Bess,  not  knowing  whether  to  laugh  or  cry,  in 
her  excitement.  "Good  gracious!  what  will  the 
girls  say  at  school  when  they  hear  we've  had  a  real 
tiger  in  our  shed.  If  you'd  only  shoot  him,  and  we'd 
have  him  stuffed." 

"  I  mean  to  shoot  when  he  comes  out." 

But  Jack's  fingers  shook  so  as  he  adjusted  the 
trigger  that  one  would  have  thought  he  had  the 
palsy. 

'^  I'll  tell  you  what  to  do !"  shouted  Bessy,  clap- 
ping her  hands.  "  I'll  go  down  to  the  kitchen  win- 
dow, and  throw  a  bone  out  in  front  of  the  shed-door, 
and  when  he  rushes  out  for  it,  you  look  if  it's  the 
tiger  or  not." 

"  Very  well." 

"  Unless  you'd  rather  throw  the  bone,"  hesitated 
Bessy,  her  heart  giving  way. 

"  There's  not  the  least  danger  for  you,  Bessy.  And " 
I'm  a  better  judge  of  tigers.     I'm  more  familiar 
with  their  habits  than  you," 

Off  went  Bessy,  and  finding  a  half -eaten  roast  of 
beef  in  the  pantry,  she  opened  the  kitchen  window. 


280  BUDD  BOYD'S  Till UM PH. 

her  heart  choking  her  as  she  did  it,  and  flung  it  out 
with  all  her  strength.  There  was  a  rush  from  the 
shed,  but  Bessy  had  closed  the  shutters  and  was  fly- 
ing up  the  stairs.  Halfway  up  stood  Jack,  pale 
and  breathless. 

"  Was  it  the  tiger  ?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Oh,  Jack  !"  Bessy  clasped  her  hands.  "  Is  he — 
is  he  big?" 

"  Oh,  he's  a  monster.  His  eyes  are  like  coals  of 
fire."  Jack  jerked  out  the  words  as  he  dashed  down 
the  stairs  and  out  of  the  front  door,  shouting,  "  Po 
lice !  police !" 

One  can  easily  guess  what  followed  then.  "When 
Mrs.  Leigh  came  home  from  market,  a  dense  crowd 
packed  the  street  for  half  a  square  from  her  house, 
on  the  outskirts  of  which  skirmished  women,  with 
babies  in  their  arms,  boys  open-mouthed,  and  cart- 
men  cracking  their  whips,  whose  horses  stood  wait- 
ing in  a  crowd  at  the  corner.  In  front  of  the  door 
stood  one  of  the  vans  of  the  menagerie.  Wild  cries 
of  "  The  tiger  !"  "  The  lion  !"  resounded  from  side 
to  side,  and  every  time  the  door  opened  the  crowd 
fell  back,  expecting  him  to  charge  on  them.  Way 
was  made  for  Mrs.  Leigh.  Everybody  looked  at 
her  with  respect. 

"  He's  in  your  house,  ma'am." 

"  It  was  your  son  that  discovered  him." 

Mrs.  Leigh  hurried  in,  terrified  at  the  thought  of 
what  might  have  befallen  her  children.     The  house 


BUVD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH.  ggl 

• 
was  filled  with  men.  Policemen  were  in  full  force 
to  keep  order.  The  keepers  from  the  menagerie  had 
a  net  suspended  over  the  door  of  the  shed,  to  catch 
the  tiger  when  it  should  rush  out.  Half  a  dozen 
men  stood  with  guns  ready  pointed,  in  case  he  should 
attack  them. 

"  But  don't  fire,  unless  in  case  of  absolute  neces- 
sity," pleaded  the  keepei*.  "Consider  the  cost, 
gentlemen.  That  beast  is  worth,  as  he  stands,  two 
thousand  dollars." 

"What's  your  two  thousand  dollars  to  us?" 
growled  one  of  the  men,  cocking  his  gun,  "  Consider 
our  lives." 

Xobody  as  3'et  had  seen  the  tiger  but  Jack,  who 
stood  in  an  upper  window,  the  observed  of  all 
observers. 

The  keepers  went  on  with  their  preparations.  It 
was  their  plan  to  shoot  into  the  shed,  over  the  tiger's 
head,  and  when  he  charged  on  them,  capture  him 
in  the  net, 

"  Let  every  man  take  care  of  himself,"  said  the 
keeper,  "  Fire  if  we  do  not  secure  him.  Are  you 
ready,  men  ?" 

The  men,  with  pale  faces,  lowered  the  net.  "  All 
right !" 

"  Look  out,  then.     One,  two,  three !" 

"Bang '."'went  the  pistol  over  the  beast's  head. 
There  was  a  moment's  pause,  and  then  a  fierce  dash 
and  a  shriek  from  the  people,  caught  up  and  echoed 
by  the  crowd  outside.  The  men  tugged  at  their  net 
and  caught — 


282  BUDD  BOYD'S  TRIUMPH. 

"  Brown's  big  yellow  dog !"  shouted  the  police- 
men. 

"  Where's  that  young  coward  that  fooled  us  V 
The  keepers  raged  and  the  crowd  cheered. 

But  Jack  had  hidden  away  with  his  shame  and 
could  not  be  found.  He  never  was  known  to  brag 
again. 


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Emperor,  The.    By  George  Ebers. 

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Felix  Holt.    By  George  Eliot. 

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First  Violin.     By  Jessie  Fothergill. 

For  Faith  and    Freedom.       By 

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Harold.    By  Bulwer-Lytton. 

Harry  Lorrequer.  By  Charles 
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Henry  Esmond.  By  William  M. 
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Heriot's  Choice.  By  Rosa  N.  Carey. 

Heroes  and  Hero  Worship.     By 

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History  of  Pendennis.  By  Will- 
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House  of  the  Seven  Gables.  By 
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How  to  be  Happy  Though  Mar- 
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Hypatia.    By  Charles  Kingsley. 

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